Think Upon Revenge

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"No more tears now; I will think upon revenge." - Mary Stuart

Arya and Gendry left Storm's End the next day. She knew that they weren't overstaying their welcome, but she also knew it was time to go Mya, Edric, and Bella to run their keep alone. While no one had said anything, Arya knew that they were judging Gendry's siblings because the two of them were around, and she didn't want that. She liked Gendry's siblings, and they had worked very hard to make sure that they had good lives going forward. It wasn't their intention when they collected them, but when Arya saw how natural they were with people and what a difference they could make, she floated the idea to Sansa, Gendry, and Jon.

"So few nobles actually understand what the small folk are going through," Arya had said in Jon's solar one night a mere month after they had marched into Winterfell with Edric. "Edric would be a good lord, and he would take care of his people. You've seen how protective he already is of us, and he hasn't been here very long."

"Westeros has a long memory," Sansa said. "And while Robert wasn't exactly a good King, people do remember a time of peace. Daenerys is a good person, but I don't see how we can ask her to legitimize three Baratheon's so early in her rule."

"We gave Gendry the name Stark to protect him from issues like that," Jon said. "Or at least it's one of the reasons." Arya looked at her husband, who was frowning deeply.

"I love having them here," Gendry whispered. "I've never had siblings or a family before, and I just found them. My first instinct is to keep them close and never let anyone touch them." He sighed and leaned back in his chair. "But Arya's right. They could do good in the Stormlands, and those people need help. We saw it during the war." Arya wanted to tell him that she understood his instinct for keeping his siblings safe, but she held her tongue. Their circumstances were not the same, and Jon and Sansa seemed to realize this too.

"Let them find their place here," Jon said. "And in five moons, we'll all talk again, and if we think they're ready, then we'll work on figuring it out." Then five moons went by quickly, and Arya was glad that Davos was going to be there to keep Mya, Bella, and Edric safe. None of them remembered much about their parents, and Marya and Davos seem keen to keep the now-adult Baratheon's safe. It made Arya feel better about leaving even though she knew that they were going to pitch a fit about it.

"It hasn't been that long," Edric said. His blue eyes were wide, and, for once, he looked as young as he actually was. Bella and Mya were standing on either side of him in the round hall, and they didn't seem impressed that they were leaving. "What if I need you?"

"Then we'll come," Gendry said. "We will always come to help you if you need it. We are family, and House Stark will come should you need help." Arya had felt her heart warm a little as Gendry spoke about House Stark as if he finally believed that he was part of her house. She knew her husband was stubborn, but she didn't think it would take this long.

"What if we want to see our brother and our amazing good sister?" Bella asked with a raised eyebrow, and that look she would give people like she could read your thoughts and divine your intentions.

"We'd come for that too," Gendry assured, and Arya nodded. "I know you three can do this, and you have the support of one of the best men I know and his amazing lady wife. None of us would have asked you to do this if we didn't think you were right for the position." Arya didn't think the Baratheon siblings looked entirely convinced that they were telling the truth, but they also didn't throw Arya and Gendry in a room and lock the door so they couldn't leave. They gathered their horses, their weapons, and after promises to write and visit soon, they left Storm's End.

Arya knew that Edric was going to watch for them as long as he could, so they started North as if they were planning on going back to Winterfell. That was what Arya and Gendry had told them they were doing. Instead, they only went as far north as they needed to be out of sight and then turned west. Daenerys had sent a raven saying former Lannister soldiers were terrorizing the small folk in the Westerlands. Daenerys had said she didn't currently have the men to deal with it. Arya knew that she and Gendry were the best suited for taking out those bandits. It was what they did during the wars, and it was very much what they were planning to do now.

+++

The first group of bandits was not exactly hard to find because they weren't making any attempt to conceal themselves. They were running around the Westerlands like they had a right to it and the people. Arya didn't know the names of the minor lords that weren't doing anything to help, and it wasn't like she had any more respect for the Lannisport Lannister's who now held Casterly Rock than she did for any other Lannister not named Jaime. She was still annoyed when she realized how brazen these men were and how they didn't seem to care that they were slaughtering innocent people.

Arya stayed in the shadows as she watched the men. Gendry was back with their things and their horses to make sure that none of these bandits managed to rob them blind while they were separated. She counted a half of a dozen men all armed to the teeth with lots of armor that they must have stolen from the crown when they fled. She could even see the tattered remains of their gold cloaks, and she knew what these men were. Arya crept back into the darkness and found Gendry waiting for her several paces away.

"How many?" he asked without even looking up to see if it was her approaching or someone else which annoyed her.

"How did you know it wasn't someone coming to cut your throat?" Arya asked, and Gendry looked up from where he was tending to the horses, and he smiled.

"They wouldn't have walked up to me," he replied and laughed softly when Arya made a face at him. She wanted to scold him for being too trusting, but they could only count on those men being in their cup for so long.

"Six, they appear to be former gold cloaks," Arya said. "And they are bragging about the last village that they attacked. They even bragged about what they did to some of the women." Arya didn't bother to hide her contempt for men that took advantage of women like that.

"It sounds like quiet and painless is not the way we should handle this then," Gendry said. He pulled out a crossbow that Edric had given him for protection as Arya found the bow that Meera had gifted her before they went south. Arya checked Needle and Thread at her hip as Gendry secured his hammer to his back and his sword at his hip. He nodded, and the two of them began to make their way into the night and to the bandit camp.

The men were even drunker now than they were when Arya first studied them, and she had to hold back a laugh at Gendry rolling his eyes. They were both still under the cover of darkness as Arya aimed the bow at a man who looked the least drunk and hoped that Gendry would do the same with his crossbow. She glanced at her husband, and he nodded; they fired.

The bandits reacted like a group of soldiers would which meant they had their weapons in hand and ready to fight the second the two bodies hit the ground. They were all yelling at each other, trying to figure out which direction the arrow and bolt came from, which was good for her. She glanced at Gendry and gestured to him. He nodded, and they both began to move in opposite directions around the camp.

Arya mentally counted down from sixty, the same way that she knew Gendry was, and they emerged from the darkness with their weapons in hand. Arya hadn't fought anyone since the Battle of King's Landing, and she found that she missed it. Nothing made her blood sing the way a good fight did, and she bared her teeth at the bandit as they tried to get the best of her. She could hear Gendry fighting from not far away, and she trusted that her incredibly talented husband could handle two drunk bandits.

She slit the throat of one of the former gold cloaks and turned to the one who was bragging about raping the women. He looked like the sort that would enjoy that sort of torture, and Arya decided that a quick death was too much for him. She sliced his knee, his shoulder, his side until he was screaming and bleeding on the forest floor. Arya heard two bodies hit the ground, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Gendry walking across the camp to join her. There was blood on his hammer, his sword, and splattered on his face, and Arya thought he never looked more beautiful.

"This the last one?" Gendry asked.

"This is the one who thought that women were things that he could take," Arya spat out, and the gold cloak looked between the two of them.

"I know you two," he said. "You're that Northern princess, and you're the bastard knight of the fucking king." Arya blinked and realized for the first time that this was going to be very different from the last time they dealt with bandits. Now people knew who they were; they knew their exploits, which meant it was going to be a lot harder to hide.

"You should have stayed and answered for your crimes to Queen Daenerys," Arya said, ignoring the fact that he knew who they were.

"And why would I let a dragon bitch sit in judgment of me?" the man spat out.

"Because," Arya said with a smirk, "execution by a dragon is quick." She drove both Needle and Thread into this man's gut and ripped them out. She knew the wounds would take some time to bleed, but she didn't care. He deserved to die slow. Gendry smirked as he put his hammer back on his back and his sword on his hip. The man cried out, called her every name possible, called Gendry every name he could think of, as they stripped his friends of their coin and valuables.

Arya walked over to him after he stopped yelling and watched the light go out in his eyes. Now it was time to find the village this man had tarnished and try to help restore it even a little. She couldn't give those girls their innocence back, but maybe she could make the days seem a little less dark.

Gendry put out the fire at the center of the camp, and they walked away, leaving the bodies to the wolves.

+++

It didn't take that long for them to find the village that the former gold cloaks had attacked. They didn't have a ton of coin on them, but there was enough that Arya felt like she was making a difference when she handed it over. The people knew who they were, but it was more than that. They knew that she was Princess Arya Stark, and he was Ser Gendry Stark and the way the people were so surprised when they turned up to help broke her heart a little. These people didn't think anyone of their standing would ever turn up to help, and here they were.

It was a little like the old times except for the parts where it was so different. This time people kept trying to give them things instead of the two them of them working for their meal and a place to sleep. Gendry looked so uncomfortable and almost a little angry when one family insisted that nothing they owned was worthy of being fixed by one of the best smith's in Westeros. Gendry didn't like sounding like a noble very often, but he came close to ordering these people to let him help.

Arya had her own problems. She was not as small and light on her feet as she used to be when she was younger, but she was still able to do more than most adults. They all tried to tell her that she didn't need to climb on the roof to do repairs or try to help sort out the situation in a nearby field and help pull the vegetables from the ground. Her hands were bruised, bloodied, and dirty just the way she wanted them, but the people were horrified by them like they couldn't believe a princess would dirty herself like this.

"We didn't think this through," she said to Gendry as they laid together in the nicest room in the inn. Arya had wanted to argue against it the first day but decided it was probably best if she left this was alone for now.

"It was much easier when no one knew who we were," Gendry agreed. "But we can't undo what we did, and I still want to help people, so what are we going to do?"

"We'll have to hide our faces," Arya said as she turned and looked at Gendry. They were nearly nose to nose, and even though she was tired, she could barely stand, she wanted to kiss him so badly. There was something about doing this that was getting to her in a way that Arya couldn't put into words. Gendry was watching her like he knew something was wrong but was patiently waiting for her to decide to talk to him. Arya shifted, so she was straddling his waist and looking down at the man who was her whole world. "It's not just that people know who we are now."

"What is it?" Gendry asked quietly. His hands were on her waist, and he was rubbing circling into her hipbones.

"It's taking me back to when I felt alone in the world. When we thought I was the only one left and I didn't have any family in the world. When you were all I had," Arya explained. "And you were, are, enough, but I don't like being reminded of that feeling. I thought it would feel the same to get out and help people, but it feels different like we're--" Arya cut herself off as she lost the words and sighed.

"Like we're wasting time," Gendry finished for her, and Arya nodded as she looked down at him. "I feel guilty that we're not back at Winterfell helping there or back at Storm's End with my siblings. I'm not sure I remember how to do something just for myself."

"I guess we were still kids back then," Arya whispered as she settles down next to Gendry wrapped up in his arms. "We have responsibilities and duties now."

"I'm thinking about the fact that I still need to finish Yara's crown and that I probably have more commissions coming in that could help strengthen ties to the North," Gendry said, and he huffed a laugh to himself. "I guess this is growing up."

"I still want to help people," Arya said. "We can hide our faces and just help anyone who is on the way North. We're on our way home; we're just taking some extra time to help the people who need it."

"Sounds like an excellent plan," Gendry said, and Arya wasn't sure who they were trying to convince.

+++

It was hard to enjoy working in the village after that, but Arya wasn't about to leave just because these people were uncomfortable that she and Gendry wanted to help. So she stayed and got her hands dirty. Gendry worked and continued to tell the people that he didn't want their coin in exchange for the work. They still had the best room in the inn, but there wasn't much she could do about that.

They stayed a few more days, and during that time, Arya did a little sewing. She didn't like sewing that much, and she didn't think she was very good at it, but she was good enough to make some masks that could go across her mouth and cover most of her face. It would be hard to work with their faces covered, but she couldn't think of any other way. If they were going to help people, then they needed to go back to being anonymous again.

The day they left, the village thanked them and tried to throw them some sort of feast that Arya did not want to deal with. She didn't like feasts with her family, let alone a bunch of strangers that were treating her like someone special. They rode north until the sun was nearly down and set up camp for the night. It was cool out, and Arya was content to curl around her husband and steal all of his body heat.

"We should travel someday," Arya said after they ate some dinner, and the fire was starting to burn down. "We got to travel when we were younger, but there was so much stress involved with that. I want to travel and see Westeros and not have to worry about an army coming to chop my head off."

"Yeah, we just have to worry about the remains of the previous army chopping our heads off,"
Gendry said, and he yelped when she poked him in the side. "No I agree, I'd like to see some more of Westeros someday. I'm sure I could learn a lot from blacksmiths in Dorne or Essos." Arya tried not to laugh because, of course, Gendry would think about what kind of blacksmithing techniques he could learn if he traveled. "Arya Stark, I can hear you laughing down there."

"I'm not doing a thing," she lied, but Gendry rolled them over, so he was pinning her down to the ground with his weight. He was smiling softly as he looked down at her.

"You're laughing at me for wanting to learn all sorts of new blacksmith techniques like you wouldn't ask me to make you new weapons," Gendry said, which was true. Arya couldn't deny that she did want to see all the new weapons that other warriors around Westeros would use, but that didn't mean she was going to admit it Gendry. So she smirked and pulled him down for a kiss to distract him. Gendry laughed against her lips like he knew what she was doing and didn't mind. She wanted him under the stars and on the grass like they were still just Wolf and Bull, but Gendry was still a gentleman above all else. She knew that she wouldn't get him to do anything else out here in the darkness.

Arya had just opened her mouth to deepen their kiss when she heard something moving in the woods. She froze and glanced at Gendry. He nodded slowly, and they began to move away from each other to go for their weapons. A large group of men, some of them wearing the tattered remains of their gold cloaks, jumped out of the darkness.

"These are the two that attacked our friends," one of the men said with a smirk. There were over a dozen of them, and while she had her sword in hand and Gendry had his hammer, they weren't that skilled. They couldn't take a dozen men in a battle like this.

"If you're smart, you'll walk away," Arya said, and the men surrounding them laughed like she made a joke.

"Oh no, girl, we aren't going anywhere. You killed our friends, and with that comes justice," the apparent leader said.

"Pillaging, robbing, and raping are what you call justice?" Gendry snapped, and several of the men snickered.

"If they are enemies of the true queen of Westeros, then yes," he said.

"Your queen is dead. We were there when she died," Arya snapped, and the man smirked as they closed in.

"We know who you are," the man said. Arya tried to fight, they both did, but it took almost no time for the bandits to overwhelm them. They laughed as they tied her hands tightly in front of her and laughed as they pulled a dark bag over her head. Arya was in darkness, and she couldn't do anything about it.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

The bandits didn't bother to knock them out, considering their hands were bound, and they had bags over their heads. Gendry didn't try to fight, which was a good thing. The last thing they needed was him throwing himself onto another sword. Her husband had too many scars as it was, and the last thing he needed was another one. Not for some former gold cloaks that were running around thinking they were doing good in the Lannister name. So a long rope was tied to their hands, and they were pulled through the forest blind. If she looked carefully, Arya could see the ground enough to keep from completely falling on her face, but it wasn't easy.

The bandits made them walk, without stopping, for the entire night without stopping for any breaks. Arya had good boots that were made for walking, but even her feet were aching by the time the bandits called for them to stop. She didn't entirely collapse onto the ground, but it was a near thing. She was exhausted, and she just wanted to get some sleep. One of the bandits removed the hood from her head, and Arya winced as the afternoon sun blinded her. That meant they walked throughout the night and the entire morning without stopping; no wonder she was so tired. Arya glanced at Gendry, who was sitting next to her, and he looked just as tired and was also wincing from the sun after being in the darkness from the bag for so long.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'll be fine, you?" Arya replied, and Gendry flashed her a brief smile.

"As you well know, I've certainly been better, but I've also been a lot worse," he said.

"Shut it the two of you," one of the bandits said as he knelt down in front of them and smiled. Arya could see the broken and battered state of his armor and clothes. This man was a knight at some point, a man of rank, and now he looked like a common bandit. "I never thought I'd get so lucky to snag a Princess of the North and her bastard knight husband. I spent a long time looking for you years ago."

"Yeah? And how many of your friends did I kill during those days too?" Arya asked with a smirk. She knew she was baiting this man, but she wanted to see how he reacted. If he was reckless, that would make it easier to manipulate him. He snarled but didn't hit her like she expected. Instead, he glared at the two of them and then smiled.

"You're both much more valuable now," the man said. "I have to wonder what would happen if I turned up at Winterfell and demanded a ransom from your bastard king of a brother." Arya blinked because she couldn't quite believe what she was hearing; a ransom?

"You want to trade us for a ransom," Arya said. "You sure that's a good idea?"

"Seems like a bad one to me," Gendry said, and the bandit glared at him, but, thankfully, he still didn't lash out at either of them.

"He'll pay anything to get you back. I could walk up and name my price," the bandit said, and he looked so smug that Arya had to laugh. "What is so funny?"

"Sure, go ahead, ask my brother for my ransom, and see how that goes. This is the same brother that sacked Winterfell to take it back from the Bolton's and cut off the head of the Night King. The same brother that has a white direwolf at his side at all times and a dragon that is keen to keep my family alive. Yes, you should go make an enemy out of him."

"Arya, be fair, King Jon is hardly the most terrifying person in your family," Gendry said, and he smirked when the bandit started to turn a little pale. "Princess Sansa, the Hand to the King, fed her husband to his own dogs to get eaten alive. Prince Bran has powers beyond the scope of a man, and that dragon and him her very close. Princess Meera, Bran's wife, is a crogwoman who killed a White Walker with a spear and could put a spear through your eye at any distance. Prince Theon of the Iron Isles is your sister's paramour, and he knows how to drown a man and make it look like an accident." Gendry shook his head as he looked at the bandits who were all listening to this conversation and didn't look as sure of themselves as they used to. "Doesn't sound like the kind of people you'd want to make enemies of."

"You're a Baratheon," one of the bandits said, and he tried to look proud of that revelation. Arya glanced at Gendry, who was smiling like he just heard a joke. The bandit in front of them nodded and turned back to them with a self-satisfied look on his face until he saw the way Gendry was smiling.

"The Queen put the Baratheon's back in charge of the Stormlands, there are three of them, aren't they your bastard siblings?" he asked, and Arya mentally gave her husband credit for not reacting to this man calling his siblings bastards.

"Oh, they are," Gendry said. "My younger brother is the lord of Storm's End, and do you know what he did to a Northern Lord who insulted the Stark's when we were staying with them not even a year ago? He attacked that man and broke his nose and his arm. My older sisters have taken to being older siblings very well and are extremely protective. My sister Bella could take one look at all of you and figure out your deepest secret. My other sister Mya would find a way to make it legal for Edric to kill you all as slowly as possible. They wouldn't take to someone threatening my life or Arya's life very well, so if you want to anger my family by all means."

"You sell yourself short, Gendry," Arya said, and she knew all of the bandits were paying attention to her. "Queen Daenerys considers you and all of your siblings to be her cousins. She has a dragon and a loyal army at her back. Queen Daenerys and my brother King Jon are also very close and consider each other family as well. I imagine she wouldn't take too kindly to someone trying to ransom us either."

"This is true," Gendry said as he pretended to think about it for a moment. "I suppose these men could try to ransom us to your Uncle Edmure at Riverrun."

"They could, but after the death of my lady mother and seeing how terribly the Riverlands suffered under bandits and Lannister soldiers, he isn't too keen on mercy these days. He would be furious if someone tried to ransom me, and he's rather fond of you as well. What about my cousin Robin the Eyrie? I don't know him that well, but we are family. He might be willing to pay."

"He might, but Lord Royce, who commands the Knights of the Vale, is a dear friend," Gendry replied. "He wouldn't be too happy about someone trying to ransom family anymore. What about Queen Yara?"

"Well, Queen Yara is rather fond of me because I'm the sister of the woman that her brother loves. She's fond enough of you to not only commission a crown that will be passed on through generations at the Iron Isles but also because you gave Prince Theon the ability to walk away after he lost his leg in the battle against the dead," Arya said.

"And we both know what kind of reputation the Iron Borne have when it comes to revenge and pillaging. I don't think Queen Yara would be very happy to a bunch of bandits trying to swindle money out of her," Gendry said. He stared down the bandit leader who was now looking a little green around the edges as the magnitude of their alliances, friends, and family hit him. "So, it sounds like you have a decision to make about which enemy you'd like to make but, unless a treaty was broken, all of those people mentioned are allies and would come to help the others if need be."

"We could kill you both where you sit," the bandit leader said.

"And then you'd have all of those same people tearing Westeros apart until the right person was found and put to justice for our deaths," Arya said as she shifted in her seat and looked at the bandits around her. "My advice would be to let us go."

"I will do no such thing," the bandit leader snapped, but Arya shrugged, or at least she tried to with her hands tied in front of her. "I need to go talk to my men." The leader stood up and walked over to his men just far enough away so that she couldn't hear what they were talking about.

"You know, if we manage to talk our way out of this, it will be the first time we've won a fight with our words," Arya said.

"Sansa will be proud of our diplomacy," Gendry deadpanned, and Arya smiled at him. She could see that the bandits were beginning to panic as the reality of the prisoners they had was starting to dawn on them. Arya could tell that the leader very much underestimated what he had when it came to the two of them and what he could get away with. It also made her feel a little loved as she thought about all of the people throughout Westeros that would get revenge for her if the worst should happen.

The bandits talked amongst themselves for quite a long time, and Arya could feel her legs starting to fall asleep. They kept glancing at the two of them like they could somehow figure out a way to get around all of this, but Arya knew she had them. There was no way they were stupid enough to try and ransom them, there just wasn't, and they needed to realize that sooner rather than later. The leader walked up to the two of them and stared.

"We have decided that it would be in the best interest of all us if we let the two of you go for now," he said. Arya had to stop herself from rolling her eyes at the "for now" like they were doing her a favor.

"A wise decision," she said. "And while it isn't one we're going to forget, I would like to remind you that execution by dragon might be quick, but it isn't pleasant. If you're smart, you and your friends should get on a ship and go somewhere else. Next time you might not get as lucky." The bandit leader glared at her and looked like he wanted to say something, but all of his men behind him started making noises. The leader pulled out a dagger and cut the ropes from Arya's wrist and then did the same for Gendry. All of their weapons were still attached to their horses, which were across the clearing. They might not have ropes around their wrists anymore, but they were still very unarmed. One of the bandits kept a crossbow on them as they all climbed on their own horses and began to ride out into the afternoon. The leader glared at her but eventually took off with the rest of his men.

"I'm honestly a little surprised that worked considering our luck," Gendry said as they walked over to their horses. It didn't appear that the bandits had even taken any of their coin, which was a little surprising. Arya could only assume that they just didn't have the time. "Are we going to let them go?"

"We're going to follow them and see if they actually get on that ship. If they don't, then maybe it won't work out so well for them," Arya said, and she smirked. There were rope burns on her wrists, but she ignored them. They were both exhausted, but if they slept, they would lose the trail of the bandits, and if the bandits attacked another village while they were sleeping, Arya wasn't sure how she would live with herself. So she climbed onto her horse, and they began to follow the very obvious tracks through the forest of the Westerlands.

+++

The bandits were heading west, which could have been an indication that they were going to get on that boat, but Arya didn't trust them. These were men that were still loyal to Cersei Lannister and thought she was right. There was no possible way they would do the sensible thing. She made sure that they weren't near the men and kept a good mile or more away from their camps. The first night that the bandits stopped, Arya nearly fell off of her horse. She barely remembered eating some of the rations that they brought from Storm's End, and Arya wasn't sure she was even lying down when she fell asleep.

The next morning she felt more like herself, and the dark circles around Gendry's eyes were less pronounced. The bandits were still heading west, but Arya still wasn't sure if they were listening to her advice. While they were going west, it didn't seem like they were going to Lannisport, and even then, they were former gold cloaks, and the current Lannister's might not accept them. It took a little work to get close enough to their camps at night to hear them talking, but Arya knew she needed a definitive answer. She got one on the third night when she listened to the leader that taunted them, saying he wasn't afraid of her or Daenerys or any dragon. He was a knight of the Lannister army, and he was going to fight for the rightful queen even in death.

Arya joined Gendry back at their camp and sighed as she looked at him. He frowned but nodded. They both knew that these bandits were not going to stop hurting people, and that meant they needed to be taken care of. There were a dozen of them, which meant that they were going to have to find a way to split them up. There weren't any settlements nearby, and then bandits looked like they were setting up a camp for an extended stay, which gave them both a little time to try and figure out a way to stop them.

The two of them sat around their own small camp and tried to think of ways to thin their numbers, but there weren't any easy ways that she could think of. Arya looked around the immediate area surrounding them and managed to find a root that she knew would poison men if it was burned. It was something that she learned about from the villagers in the Riverlands years ago. If they could get the root into the fire, then the smoke would make the bandits sick and maybe even kill some of them. The problem was getting it into the fire. Gendry glared at her when she insisted that she could get in and out of the camp while the bandits were sleeping, but eventually he relented and let her do it.

It wasn't easy sneaking into the camp, but Arya was lucky that the horses remembered her and didn't startle when they saw her. They didn't bother to have anyone keeping watch because they didn't seem to think that anyone would dare harm them. Arya dropped the root in the fire and got away from the smoke as fast as she could. She got back to Gendry and made sure to tie pieces of cloth around their nose and mouth to keep from inhaling the root if the worst should happen. They stayed in the brushes far enough away if the wind should shift direction but close enough that Gendry could shoot someone with his crossbow or Arya with her bow if they woke up. She sat back and watched.

The smoke did what it was supposed to do; the men that were the closest to the fire began to choke, and by the time their eyes were opening, they already couldn't breathe. At least four of them died instantly while three others stumbled to try and get away from the smoke but eventually fell to the ground. There were only five left as Arya raised her bow and took aim. It wasn't hard to shoot four men that were mostly poisoned and could barely breathe, and between her and Gendry, they killed them quietly. The leader, the one that threatened them, stumbled away from the camp and tried to catch his breath. He looked up when he saw them approaching.

"I should have known a Northern bitch couldn't keep her word," he rasped.

"I told you to make for the boats and get out of the Westerlands. You had no intention of doing that, and I wasn't going to leave you here to pillage more villages that can't fight back," Arya said. The bandit leader sneered at he looked at them.

"We were going west. We were going to go to the boats like you told us to," he said, but Arya scoffed.

"I heard you say that you weren't going to go," she said.

"It would be in your best interest not to lie to us," Gendry said as he circled the man. He had his sword in his hand, and his blue eyes looked like they were nearly glowing from the light of the moon. Gendry looked like a warrior that people would write songs about.

"You're going to regret this," the bandit leader snapped.

"I'm not going to regret anything when it comes to men like you who rape and pillage and kill defenseless small folk, and I cannot think of another person in the world that would mourn your loss," Arya said as she pulled out Needle. She didn't want to listen to this man beg for his life for another second; she knew what kind of man he was. She fought and killed them for years during the war, and men like this one didn't change. Even if he did get on that ship, he would just take his raping and killing and pillaging to another town and another country. Arya wouldn't be responsible for unleashing that on another town that couldn't defend themselves. She stabbed the bandit leader in the stomach and left him to bleed out alone. It was a kinder death than he deserved for what he and his ilk had done.

It was too dangerous to try and take their things because of the smoke, but Arya managed to cut loose the horses and hoped that someone would find them and could use the supplies. She didn't want to stay in this area any longer than she needed to.

"Let's head for the King's Road," Arya said as she walked with Gendry back to their horses. "I bet Hot Pie would love for us to stop by the Crossroads again. Maybe this time, we can convince him to come north with us."

"He'll just say that it's not called Winterhell for no reason and why would he want to go somewhere called that," Gendry said as he packed his horse. He leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on her lips. She knew he didn't enjoy the blood on his hands from raids like this, but Gendry had a strong sense of justice that wouldn't let men like that get away with what they were doing, and Arya loved that about him. They climbed on their horses and began to make their way northeast to try and put as much distance between them and the bandits as possible. It was time to start heading home.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Arya was grateful they didn't run any more bandits as they made their way to the King's Road so they could start north. The truth was that she hoped this was the last of the former gold cloaks, and now that the problem was solved, no one would worry about it anymore. She knew that Daenerys wanted to do something about, but that wasn't the reality Daenerys was living in at the moment. While she was on the Iron Throne and had allies all across Westeros, that didn't mean that she was universally loved. There were lesser houses that still saw her as a foreign invader, and she just didn't have the support to send people out into the Westerlands to deal with it. That's why Arya decided to ride out with Gendry; she knew they could handle it.

They were much further west than she intended to go, but it was also nice to see a part of Westeros she hadn't really explored before. The Westerlands were loyal to the Lannister's, and if there was anywhere they wanted to avoid in the war, it was there. Back then, when she was traveling with Gendry and trying to help people, they mainly stayed in the Reach, sometimes the Stormlands if they felt comfortable going that far south, and the Riverlands. There was more than enough danger to take care of there back then. Things were different now, and she couldn't be happier.

"Do you ever wonder what would have happened if things were different?" Arya asked one day a week into their journey west and then north so they could go home.

"Different how?" Gendry asked.

"Different like what if the Red Woman took you or if I decided to take Jaqen up on his offer to train me. Or if you decided to stay with the Brotherhood or if we made it to Riverrun. What would our lives be like?" Arya asked.

"I'd be dead," Gendry said plainly like the idea of dying didn't really bother him that much. Arya turned so she could stare at her husband.

"You don't sound too worried about it," she said.

"You're the reason I survived, Arya. You got me away from that Red Woman, and she would have killed me. Your wolf is the one that saved us that night with the bandits. You made sure Jon accepted me and didn't cut my head off for marrying his little sister. You kept Daenerys from burning me alive for being a threat to the crown. Without you, I'd be dead several times over," Gendry explained. "And the reason it doesn't bother me is that it didn't happen. We got away from Melisandre, and we weren't killed at Riverrun. Cersei or Daenerys or Jon or anyone else didn't cut my head off. It didn't happen, so I don't like to think about it."

"I can't help it," Arya said softly, and she looked down at her hands holding the reigns. She could feel Gendry watching her, and he waited patiently for her to continue. "Sometimes I think about how I could have saved Robb and Talisa and my mother if we'd gone to Riverrun somehow. Or if we'd gone north a lot sooner, I could have saved Rickon. Or if Yoren hadn't stopped me, I could have somehow saved my father. I just keep thinking about what would have happened if we'd never gone south. What would have happened to my family if my father never became Hand of the King, and we stayed in Winterfell."

"You know you're naming another scenario where I die, right?" Gendry said, and Arya blinked but didn't look at her. "Let's assume I managed to get out of the city with the Night's Watch, and that is a big assumption, those men would have turned me in without hesitating, and I'd be a rotting corpse somewhere in the Riverlands."

"You don't know that," Arya said, and she didn't know why she was arguing this. "Jon Arryn could have told my father about you, and he could have had you sent north to Winterfell. You could have come to my home, and you'd be safe."

"Maybe," Gendry said. "But if your father was going to save one of Robert's children, it wouldn't be me; it would be Edric because his mother was a noblewoman and that matters." Gendry sighed, and they rode in silence for what felt like a long time. "I guess I don't understand what you went through, what you're still going through because I can't think of situations like that. I don't have a family I'd like to go back and save." Arya looked up from her hands and moved her horse, so she was walking close enough to Gendry to take his hand into hers.

"You have a family now," she said.

+++

They reached the King's Road and began to work their way north. Arya was glad that they didn't run into any more bandits for now. She didn't feel like fighting anymore; she couldn't remember a time when she got to travel just for the sake of traveling. Arya wanted to see the world, all of Westeros and beyond, but that meant leaving home for a long time, and Arya wasn't sure she could do that yet. The scars of losing her family and being away from Winterfell still felt so fresh, and for some reason, Arya kept thinking if she wasn't there, then someone would try to take it from them again. Arya needed to be there to defend her home.

Gendry didn't seem as worried about all of that, but he didn't feel the same way about Winterfell that she did. For a little while, there Arya wasn't sure he was ever going to be comfortable in her home. She wasn't sure if they were going to be able to live there peacefully. There were still people from lesser houses in the north that didn't like who their princess married. In defense of her sibling's, no one seemed to like who they chose as lovers. They didn't think Meera was worthy of Ned Stark's last trueborn son. They didn't think Theon was worthy of Sansa, and they loathed the fact that Jon still hadn't married. Even though all three of them were nearly killed defending Winterfell, the North, and all of Westeros, it just didn't seem to matter. Arya knew that the sneers about the "bastard knight" still made Gendry wince even if he refused to say anything about it.

She knew that the title was going to follow Gendry and Jon for the rest of their lives, and, for some, it wouldn't matter what they did, their blood would always be dirty. The Crossroads Inn appeared in the distance, and Arya smiled to herself. She always loved an excuse to stop in the inn so she could see Hot Pie, and he was always glad to see them. He was one of the only people still alive that knew Arya and Gendry when they were young and starving together. Hot Pie was with them before Arya knew she was in love with Gendry. It still amazed her that this amazing man saw beyond all of her faults and loved her completely.

"So what shape bread is he going to make this time?" Gendry asked.

"He said he was going to make stags now that he knows you're technically a Baratheon even though your name is Stark," Arya said.

"I supposed I can't exactly stop him, but I would much rather he make wolves," Gendry replied. She loved how confident he sounded in the fact that he was a wolf now. The inn came into view, and they tied up their horses. When they walked in, the inn smelled like good food, and Hot Pie immediately grinned when he saw them.

"Arry! Gendry! I'm so glad to see you both," Hot Pie said as he walked over to them. He hugged Gendry tightly, and Arya accepted his hug as well. Hot Pie always seemed so happy to see them. "I take it you're heading back to Winterhell?"

"Winterfell," Arya corrected though she wasn't sure why she bothered at this point. She was wondering if Hot Pie called it that just to annoy her; she wouldn't put it past him. "And yes, we're on our way back to the North."

"All of your siblings are gone," Hot Pie said to Gendry when he realized that no one else was coming in the inn behind them. "I heard there were some Baratheon's in Storm's End, were those your siblings?"

"Yes," Gendry said. "I had Queen Daenerys legitimize them, and then they bullied us into going to Storm's End for a little while." The truth was Mya, Edric, and Bella had to hardly ask at all, and Gendry folded immediately. He was soft for his siblings, and they all knew it.

"That's amazing," Hot Pie said. "Come on, come on, have a seat, let's catch up some more. You know I love it when you two come to visit me."

"You could see us all the time if you came north with us," Arya said as she sat down at a table with Gendry and Hot Pie. "You know you'll always have a place in our household."

"I'm sure your family has plenty of people that know how to cook for them," Hot Pie said, waving her off. "So tell me about the Queen and going to Storm's End. I want to hear everything."

It turned out that everything was quite a bit to catch up on. Hot Pie wanted to know what King's Landing was like without the Lannister's ruining everything. He wanted to know what the Riverlands were like when you could travel through them and not worry about someone trying to cut your throat. He wanted to know about their lives in such an earnest way that it almost took Arya by surprise. She was so used to the people in various courts asking about her life but never really being interested in it. Hot Pie genuinely wanted to know what their lives were like and if they were okay. It made her heart feel warm.

He brought them a large dinner and refused to charge them for staying in the inn even though both Arya and Gendry tried to give him money. The owner, Marsha, and Hot Pie all said that they brought in business all the time when people found out that friends of Princess Arya Stark and Ser Gendry Waters worked here. Arya planned on hiding some coin in the room so they couldn't turn it away after they left.

Hot Poe got a little drunk as they all shared some ale, and Arya couldn't remember the last time she laughed as much as she did. She didn't let herself get drunk very often because Arya didn't like to have her guard down. Even when they were safe in Winterfell, Arya still found it hard to relax despite the war being over even now. Everyone else seemed to be moving on, but Arya couldn't remember a time in her life when she wasn't fighting whether it was for her life or her future as a small child.

She sat back in the chair by the fire and listened to Hot Pie and Gendry talk about KIng's Landing as children and how close they came to meeting each other before getting sent to the Wall. It was a time that Gendry didn't like to talk about because it was painful, but there was something about laughing about the bowl of brown with someone else that must have made it easier because it was the most she had ever heard him talk about his childhood.

"I think we should get some sleep," as they finished their latest mugs of ale though Arya had long since lost count how many they had drunk.

"I need to be up early to make the bread, and if I'm hungover, I'm useless," Hot Pie said as he grinned at them. "You two get some sleep, and I'll see you in the morning. I'll make you some special bread."

"You don't need to do that--" Gendry said, but Hot Pie waved him off and walked away without letting him finish his sentence. "I mean, I knew he wasn't going to listen, but that doesn't mean I'm happy about it." Arya giggles, something she rarely did and pushed herself to her feet. She wobbled a little and leaned on her husband as they stumbled up to their room.

"I feel like I'm sneaking off to have an illicit affair," Arya said as she nearly fell into her room.

"Oh, is that what you want?" Gendry asked from behind her, and before Arya could say a word, Gendry spun her around and pinned her to the now-closed door. "M'lady," Gendry said as he pressed his body against hers. "This isn't the place for a good noblewoman such as yourself."

"Oh good ser," Arya said when she realized what was going on. This was something new that the two of them hadn't ever tried before, and Arya was more than open to it. "I'm a good woman, just trying to save myself for my lord husband. I'm so lost, and now I'm here."

"I have my low born hands all over you," Gendry said as he leaned forward and began to lay hot kisses along her jaw and eventually down her neck. "What will everyone think if they see a bruise on your perfect skin?" He whispered, and Arya was about to come up with some sort of response when Gendry bit her. It wasn't hard enough to break the skin, but between the ale and being a little caught up in this fantasy, she didn't see it coming. Arya moaned and arched her hips against him.

"They would be so disappointed in me," Arya whispered as she slipped her hands beneath Gendry's shirt and touched bare skin. Gendry let his hands trail down her slides and began to untie her breaches. Instead of pushing them off or pulling her toward the bed, he slipped his hand into her smallclothes and touched her.

"What would they say if they could feel how wet you are for a low born man like myself?" Gendry asked as he slipped a finger inside of her. Arya let her head fall back against the door hard enough that it almost sobered her up a bit but not nearly enough.

"I don't care what they think," Arya said as she slipped her fingers into Gendry's hair and pulled him up, so they were eye to eye. "I don't care what anyone thinks; I just want you." He didn't fight when she pulled him into a sloppy kiss and moaned when she tasted the ale on his tongue. She wanted to move to the bed, but Arya was also reasonably sure that they would both fall over if they tried to do that. Arya was also reasonably sure that it wouldn't end well if she let Gendry fuck her against the door. It seemed like the kind of thing Hot Pie might be against.

Arya began to walk him back as they both began to pull their cloaks off and only broke their kiss to toss their shirts aside. Despite how drunk they both were, neither of them fell as they kicked off their boots and pants. Arya fell into the bed and relished having Gendry on top of her. He was kissing her like it was the last thing he was ever going to do, and when he touched her again, Arya nearly saw stars.

"I want to get my mouth on you," he whispered, and the edge to his voice was gone. They weren't playing any roles anymore; they were just themselves. Arya nodded, and Gendry kissed his way down her body until he settled between her legs. Between his skilled hands and his incredibly talented tongue, Arya peaked in what felt like mere seconds. Arya tried to pull Gendry up so she could kiss him, but he sucked a bruise onto her inner thigh and slipped his fingers into her again. Arya was sensitive, and she nearly screamed when his tongue touched her again.

She was babbling, Arya knew she was, and Arya also realized that she wasn't quiet either. It wasn't precisely behavior fitting a Princess of the North, but Hot Pie knew what he was getting into when he got them this drunk. Arya sank her fingers into Gendry's black hair and pulled as he made her peak again. He looked far too pleased with himself as he moved up to her.

"Oh shut up," Arya said and yanked him into a kiss. Gendry chuckled against her lips and let Arya push him back on the bed. She didn't waste any time as she sank down on him and moaned much louder than she intended to. It was the ale, it was fine, and Arya didn't care right now. Gendry was holding onto her hips hard enough that there were probably going to be bruises and she loved it. She loved the feeling of him inside of her, she loved how connected them were at this moment, and Arya never wanted it to end.

Gendry was a generous lover in bed, and he seemed determined to make sure she remembered this night despite all of the ale. As Arya approached her peak for the third time, Gendry suddenly sat up and changed the angle. He wrapped one arm around her to keep her in place and touched her with the other. Arya threw her head as she peak but pulled Gendry's mouth to hers as he fell over the edge. She bit down on his lower lip hard enough to draw blood, and it was amazing. It was all so amazing.

They didn't so much lie back down as they collapsed onto the bed. They needed to move and clean up, but the room was pleasantly spinning, and Arya didn't want to leave his arms. Arya pressed her forehead to Gendry's as they exchanged some soft kisses as the sweat cooled on their skin. They needed the leave on the early side in the morning so they could continue to make their way north but, right now, they could relax. Arya could lie with the man she loved after spending a fantastic night in his bed, and she didn't need to think.

+++

Arya wasn't that surprised when the owners of the inn and Hot Pie avoided both of their eyes when they came down for breakfast. Arya knew there was a bruise visible on her neck, Gendry had poked while smirking to himself, and his lower lip was still a little swollen. She didn't mean to be as loud as she was, but the ale didn't help. Hot Pie laid out two little loves of direwolf shaped bread and sat down across from them as they ate.

"You know, I don't want to say I doubted that you two were married. I knew you were, but I guess I never put two and two together," he said. Hot Pie's cheeks were a little red, and he looked profoundly uncomfortable.

"Sorry about that," Gendry said, and he didn't sound sorry at all. "I blame you for giving us all of that ale."

"My fault?" Hot Pie said loudly, and Marsha was watching them carefully. "I mean, I just had some drinks with my friends, I didn't think--"

"We married for love, Hot Pie," Arya said as she finished her loaf of direworlf bread. "What exactly did you think married couples in love got up to when they went to bed together?" Hot Pie stared at the two of them, and Arya tried to maintain a straight face, but she eventually broke down and laughed. Gendry wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head.

They didn't stay much longer after that, and Marsha did eventually look them in the eye as they were getting ready to leave. Arya had a feeling there were going to be some interesting rumors following the two of them the next time they went south provided Hot Pie, and Marsha said anything. It wouldn't be the first time, but the idea of how scandalized Sansa might be made Arya smile to herself. She promised Hot Pie that they would stop by the next time they went south, and Gendry whispered in her ear that he left some coin underneath the pillow of their bed. They would be long gone by the time Marsha or Hot Pie found it. They followed the king's road north as they continued home.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

If Arya was honest with herself, she really did enjoy fighting and the thrill of it, but there was something lovely about going through the Riverlands with Gendry and knowing that they were going to be okay. There was still a chance that bandits could attack them, of course, but they had more allies here than they had enemies, and it was such a nice change that she didn't really know what to do with it. It made everything so much easier.

They made their way north and didn't spend the entire time looking over their shoulders. Gendry didn't worry about whether or not her family would accept them by the time they got to Winterfell or if him being a bastard would be a problem. Arya didn't worry about whether or not her siblings were safe because she knew they were. It was strange and lovely, and it still took all that she had to trust this new normal. It was a world that she didn't know if she could ever get used to, and it still kept her awake at night.

They were a week away from the Crossroads when Nymeria found them, and Arya smiled to herself as she watched Gendry play with her wolf. She often found herself pondering what would have happened if her father had survived or if she had made it to Winterfell sooner but seeing the pure joy on Gendry's face when Nymeria tackled him to the ground for the third time almost made the pain of her life worth it.

"Your wolf is going to smother me," Gendry said after Nymeria pinned him down by lying down on him. It was her favorite was of keeping him where she wanted him, and despite Gendry's complaining, he was scratching Nymeria behind the ears.

"I'll be sure to avenge you," Arya said without getting up as she prepared their dinner. Nymeria had already brought them some fresh meat for the night, and this was relatively normal as far as their travel routine went. By the time the food was ready, Nymeria had let Gendry up, and then three of them sat around the fire. It was quiet, and Arya leaned against him as she looked up at the stars. She knew that now wasn't the time for them to travel, that Westeros was too fragile, but she hoped for a time in the future when the world felt secure enough that she let go of some of her responsibility and be a little selfish.

When Gendry took her into her arms to sleep, Arya hoped that they continued to make good time.

+++

She was standing in the middle of the forest, and something was incredibly wrong. Nymeria was nowhere to be seen, and people were holding her back. Arya didn't know who they were, but she didn't care because they were keeping her from something. She looked up and realized that someone else was dragging Gendry away from her. He was fighting against those that they were trying to take him away from her, but there were too many of them. They were saying things that Arya didn't understand, but no matter how hard they both fought, no one was listening.

"I need him," she screamed. "He's my family, and I need him please don't take him away from me." Arya didn't know who she was begging, but whoever it was, they weren't listening. They just kept pulling Gendry further and further away from her and into the darkness. The hands-on her arms were tight and bruising, why wouldn't they let her go? Why wouldn't they let them stay together? Arya hadn't fought against the Lannister's, the dead, and the very class system of Westeros only for someone else to take Gendry from her. They earned their happiness. They earned the chance to be together.

"Give him back!" Arya screamed as he vanished into the darkness, and the world around her shattered.

+++

"Arya, wake up!" Gendry said, and Arya sat up so quickly she nearly smacked her head into Gendry's. It was the middle of the night, and they were in the Riverlands together. No one was trying to take him away from her, Nymeria was whining close at her side, and it was just a nightmare. Arya placed a hand over her heart as she tried to slow her breathing. "What happened, are you okay?"

"It was a nightmare," she whispered, and Arya swore she could feel the phantom weight of the people holding her back as Gendry was taken away from her.

"What did you see?" he asked. Gendry worried about her, Arya knew that, and her nightmares tended to set him on edge. He had his own demons to fight as they tried to settle in these new times. She knew he still dealt with the guilt planted in his mind by Melisandre that if he had sacrificed himself, more people would have survived the battle against the dead. He had his own things to deal with, and Arya didn't want to burden him with hers, not when they were just someone trying to take him away from her again.

"I can't remember," Arya lied and let Gendry pull her into his arms. He held her for the rest of the night, and neither of them got much sleep.

+++

Arya didn't like lying to Gendry, but her dream was strange enough and bothered her enough that she didn't want to burden him. At least not right now. Maybe when they got back to Winterfell, they could talk about her nightmares, and she could speak to him about how the idea of losing him nearly paralyzed her, but she didn't think that conversation would go over well. The last time she got was afraid of losing him; she pushed Gendry away, and by doing that, she nearly lost her marriage, and Gendry almost lost his life. He still had scars on his wrists from Melisandre cutting him open, and the way he looked at her when he told her that he was removing himself from the situation haunted her. So Arya decided it was best to keep it to herself for now.

They continued their journey north, and Arya loved it. They stopped in small towns and helped people the way they used to. They found new people that recognized them, which made her smile. They kept saying that they couldn't believe that a princess and a knight would have spent so much time helping the small folk like them. Arya knew that Edmure was doing his best to take care of the people of the Riverlands, but there were still those that kept falling through the cracks. She didn't mind when they had to stop to help plant crops for a day or when Gendry had to spend a day smithing nails.

They were several weeks into the journey when Nymeria suddenly took off down one of the side streets in the middle of the Riverlands. She stopped and turned around to look at them as if she was waiting to see if they would follow.

"Come on, Nymeria," Arya said. "We need to keep heading north." The wolf growled and didn't move an inch. Instead, she kept on the small path that leads further into the woods, and Gendry frowned as he looked around.

"Don't tell your uncle I said this, but almost all of the Riverlands looks the same to me, so I have no idea if I'm supposed to recognize where we are right now or not," Gendry said. "We haven't passed the Twins yet, and that's all I know for sure."

"Nymeria," Arya tried, but the wolf growled and stayed on the side path. Arya had a feeling if they tried to leave her behind, it wouldn't end well, and her wolf was one of the most stubborn creatures she had ever met in her entire life. Gendry said that Nymeria got it from her. "It looks like we're taking a little side trip."

"Which of your siblings is going to kill us first for taking so long to make it back to the Winterfell?" Gendry said as they turned onto the side path and began to follow Nymeria into the woods. "I think it's going to be Sansa."

"Sansa is a pretty good guess, but Jon is a lot more bloodthirsty than you give him credit for," Arya said. "Also, the longer we're not around, the more the Northern Lords like to notice that Jon isn't married yet. If Bran is married and I'm married, then Jon can wave off his own responsibility and say that it's going to be fine."

"I'm not sure how much longer that plan is going to work," Gendry said. "We've already told him we don't want to be heirs to the throne of the North, and even if we are we're going to be behind Bran's kids, Sansa, Bran, anyone else I can throw in the way if I can get away with it. I didn't weasel my way out of a lordship in the south only to get saddled with a crown in the north. We both know I'd be shit at it." Arya knew that Gendry wanted her to agree with him and tell him that he would make a terrible king the same way he wanted her to tell him he would have made a terrible Lord of Storm's End, but the truth was she didn't believe either of those things. Gendry was like Jon; they both had a strong sense of empathy, strength, they both instilled loyalty in people wherever they went. Gendry would make a fine King in the North the same way he would have made a fine Lord of Storm's End.

It wasn't what he wanted, though, and it was absolutely the last thing he wanted to hear, so Arya didn't say anything.

+++

They continued along the path with Nymeria leading the way mostly in silence. The two of them made some small talk, but Arya didn't trust where they were or what was going on to keep making too much noise. It wasn't until a small house with a clearing came into that looked all too familiar that Arya realized that Nymeria was doing. Arya frowned because there was no way that was what was she was looking at. The door to the house opened, and two old women with kind eyes and warm smiles walked out.

"Well, look who it is," Mina said. "The last time we saw these two, I could have sworn it was going to be the last."

"Mina, Prycella," Arya whispered as she climbed off of her horse and walked quickly over to them. She wasn't typically one to hug people like this, but these two were different. These two saved her and Gendry's lives all of those years ago, and for that, they earned hugs. She turned around and gestured for Gendry to come over and join them.

"M'ladies, it's good to see that you're both doing well," Gendry said with a slight bow to both of them.

"Look at that," Prycella said. "He even sounds a little like the knight he is now even if you're both still covered in dirt." Mina made a sound of surprise, and both of the sisters were staring at Nymeria, who was sitting on the edge of the wood watching them. "That's the wolf that came and found us when you two were hurt all of those years ago."

"Yes, she's mine," Arya said. "I thought she might be the one who came to find you when you told us about her all of those years ago, but I wasn't sure. It seemed she wanted us to come by and say hello because she damn near bullied us off of the path so we could come here."

"You're both always welcome," Mina said as she gestured to get them both into the small house.
"Now come in, and please tell us everything. The last we saw the two of you, things looked rather dire, and the now we hear that you're a princess and a knight. There must be stories behind all of that, and you know how much old ladies like us love stories."

"We also insist that you stay the night here," Prycella said as she pushed Arya and Gendry into the sitting room. "We have the opportunity to tell people we helped a princess and a knight, and we want the chance to house you under much better circumstances."

"We really need to get going--" Gendry started, but Mina waved him off.

"Hush, boy, and let us take care of the two of you again," Mina insisted. "We did it once and saved your lives. I would think we are worth a meal and a good night's sleep." Arya glanced at Gendry, and this was one of those moments that she knew neither of them was going to win this fight.

"We would be honored to sit with both of you again," Arya said as they settled down in the sitting room. Mina and Prycella both beamed as they began to move around the house. They talked over one another, and once again, Arya wondered if this is what she was going to be like with Sansa when they got older. They didn't argue with one another, and they seemed to finish each other's sentences. Arya was so glad that these two managed to make it through yet another war with their lives. She thought about how she should pass their names along to her uncle and tell him about the two healers that saved their lives all of those years ago.

"Ah, here we are," Mina said as she pulled a bottle of wine out from the back of a trunk. There appeared to be dust on it, but when she opened the bottle, it didn't smell bad. She poured four glasses for them, and they settled down in front of the fire even though it was only the middle of the afternoon, and there was still plenty of daylight left.

"You knew, did you," Arya said as she drank the wine and the sister's looked a little confused. "You knew who Gendry's father was when you met us. You mentioned it to me when we were first leaving and how you thought it was better if we didn't have that information."

"Aye, we knew who your father was, boy," Mina said. "And we knew who you were too little lady. There isn't anyone who looks like a Stark, but a Stark and you look like a Stark. I figured you both had your reasons for not wanting anyone to know who you were, so we didn't say anything to either of you."

"We were delighted to hear that you got both home safely," Prycella said. "And we were happy to hear that the north accepted your marriage even though we know you were lying to us that day when you told us you were married."

"I had nothing to do with that," Gendry said.

"I needed to know he was okay," Arya said as she blushed, but the two sisters laughed at them. "Thank you for taking care of us that night. We would have died if it weren't for you, and I don't know if we can ever thank you enough for that."

"Of course, my dear," Mina said. "Now, tell us about your adventure. We've heard rumors about the Wolf and the Bull, but we want to know about Arya and Gendry. We want to know about the lives we helped save."

For the rest of the day, Arya and Gendry spoke with the two healers about their lives. They told them about their time in King's Landing with the Lannister's and how they escaped with their lives. They told them about meeting Daenerys for the first time and how they thought they were going to get burned alive. Gendry told them about how afraid he was that Jon was going to cut off his head for daring to touch the little sister of the King of the North. Arya told them about the fear she felt the moment she realized how Gendry meant to her and how that made her act so rashly. Some of the things they talked about were things they hadn't discussed since they had happened. Arya knew that Gendry had forgiven her for betraying his trust, but they hadn't ever talked about it.

Gendry smiled as he told them about Arya slaying the White Walkers, and Arya clenched her fists when she told them about Gendry spilling his own blood to defeat the Night King. They told the sisters about going around Westeros to find Gendry's siblings and how the Baratheon's were back in Storm's End. They talked about the Battle of King's Landing, and Arya said, out loud, for the first time how she chose to be with Jaime Lannister as he died instead of watching Cersei Lannister bleed out. She hadn't ever said the words out loud before to anyone.

"You didn't choose revenge or justice in the end," Mina said.

"How can you be sure?" Arya asked. It was well into the night, and they had finished the bottle of wine and another. The sisters had cooked them a great meal, and now they were lounging near the fire. Arya was curled up in Gendry's arms, and she could feel him tighten his hold on her. She knew he always worried about her mission of revenge and what it meant to her not to be the one to kill Cersei in the end.

"You weren't the one who killed her, Ser Jaime was, and whether or not you stood there and watched her die or held the hand of a good man as he died wouldn't matter. She was going to die regardless," Mina said. "You chose empathy, princess, and that is more important than anything at all."

They continued to speak, and Gendry began to talk about Melisandre for the first time to someone other than her.

"I know she was wrong," he said as picked at the loose thread on the rug on the ground. "We would have lost the war against the Night King if I had burned myself, but I just can't get it out of my head. I just can't let it go that if I had burned myself, some of those people might be alive still."

"You have a good heart," Prycella said. "A better one than the man that sired you that for damned sure. You could carry that guilt for the rest of your life, and nothing I say or Mina says, or your wife will say can get rid of it. You're going to have to learn to carry the burden."

"What if I can't?" Gendry asked in a voice so soft that Arya wasn't sure he asked the question at all.

"You will," Mina said. "You're both much stronger than you give yourselves credit for. I don't think you realize how close to death you both were that night. You shouldn't have survived. Prycella and I are talented healers, but we shouldn't have been able to save you. You both should have succumbed to your injuries before we even got you let alone either of you lasting the night. Yet you both lived, and not only did you both live, but you both also thrived. You have gone on to do great things, and you'll continue to do great things. So whatever burdens you both believe you aren't strong enough to carry? I promise you; you are."

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

It was good food and good company that led to Arya getting a very restful night's sleep. Mina and Prycella were very amusing to listen to, and they were two people that knew how to get through the rough times in life without breaking. It was something that Arya really envied about them, and it made her want to protect them even more. She wanted to ask them to come to Winterfell for the rest of their days, but she knew they would say no. If they went to Winterfell, they wouldn't be able to take care of anyone who asked for help, and that was what they stood for. That is what they had done since their husbands had died during Robert's Rebellion, and that is what they were planning on doing for the rest of their days.

Arya made a note to send a letter to Edmure and Roslin to have someone send out supplies to the two sisters at the very least. They earned that much considering the lives they had saved over the years. Gendry was still asleep when Arya woke up, and she watched him as the sun came up. They were staying in the same room that they stayed in the night of the attack, and it brought back bad memories. It made Arya think about Gendry lying so far away from her and how still he was back then. It made her think about how pale he was and how she wasn't even sure that he was alive. It made her think about how the thought of losing him made her panic in a way she hadn't felt in a long time. It was a room and a moment where Arya had to be honest with herself about what this man meant to her.

Now, so many years later, they were lying in the same bed, and she didn't have any worries about his health. Gendry was well fed and healthy. They didn't have to worry about making their next meal or some Lannister soldier coming to cut off their heads. He had family in Winterfell and in Storm's End. He had her, and she had time. This was the room where they touched for the first time and where they kissed, for that alone, Arya was always going to be grateful to that bandit for nearly taking their lives. She didn't know if she would have ever really crossed the line with Gendry if their own mortality hadn't become painfully apparent that night.

She placed a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth and climbed out of bed so he could sleep a little longer. Mina and Prycella were already awake and moving around their small house when Arya walked downstairs to join them. The sisters smiled when they saw her and gestured for Arya to take a seat at the table.

"You know you don't need to treat us or anything," Arya said.

"We're treating you the same way we treat any travelers whose company we appreciate," Mina said.

"You aren't as special as you think you are," Prycella said with a wink, and Arya felt herself blush a little at the implication that she was the one thinking that the sisters were treating them differently when they weren't. "How did you sleep?"

"Very well, thank you," Arya said as she drank the tea that Mina poured for her. "We've been riding pretty hard to get back to the North, and Gendry is exhausted, so I thought I'd let him get a little more sleep before we leave."

"Yes, that boy still doesn't know how to ride a horse, does he," Prycella said as she finished toasting a little bread and setting it out for them to eat. Arya laughed to herself and shook her head.

"No, he's never going to be a proper knight from the songs, but we barely have knights in the North anyway, so it doesn't really matter," Arya said as she took another sip of her tea. "The title was more to make everyone else see that he was worthy of me and to make him see that he's worthy of me. The differences in our status has always been an issue for us."

"It probably always will be," Mina said as she sat down. "You could put all the titles on the world on that boy, but you can't get rid of what he spent his childhood hearing or how he was raised. He's never going to really think he's equal to you no matter what anyone says."

"I hate it," Arya whispered. "I hate that he looks down on himself because he's the best person I know. I'd do anything for him, and I would choose him every time. I just hope he knows that." Prycella walked over and joined them at the table with some fresh fruit from a tree from the back of the house. They didn't talk about Gendry or their differences in status again, which was good because Gendry stumbled out of the room not long after. Arya had to hide her laugh at the pillow crease down the side of his face or the way his hair was sticking up in every possible direction. It was getting a little long and starting to fall into his eyes in a way that made Arya swoon a little like the maidens from the songs that Sansa used to long as a little girl.

"We were just talking about you, boy," Mina said as she gestured to the empty seat and food waiting for Gendry to eat.

"When the three of you kill me, just make it quick and painless. I don't want to see it coming," Gendry said as he took a sip of the tea and seemed to melt into the chair. Mina and Prycella both smirked like they knew something that they didn't, and the four of them settled down for a decent breakfast. They needed to leave soon to get back on the road, but Arya didn't want to leave these two just yet. They made her heart feel warm and, in a way, they reminded her of her mother, and she didn't want to abandon that feeling.

"Arya," Prycella said, and her voice was very different all of a sudden. "Were we right all of those years ago? Did you never get your moon blood again?" Arya didn't like to think about the fact that she couldn't have children very often or the fact that the bandit attack that gave her Gendry stole her choice as to whether or not she wanted to bring a child into the world. She knew that it wasn't the right time all of those years ago, and it was easy to ignore it when the world was at war. They were at peace now, and all people could talk about were heirs. No one besides the immediate family knew that Arya couldn't have children.

"No, it didn't," Arya said softly, and Gendry reached over to take her hand tightly in his own. "We couldn't carry around a babe in a war, but we're not at war now, and I'm a princess, and you know how it is with the greater houses and carrying on names."

"I have some idea," Mina said. "We lost our sons in the same war as our husbands and we never remarried. We decided we wanted to stay together instead. That's why we stay together and why we are going to die together because we're all that we have. That didn't mean we didn't help children throughout our lives after our sons died. We raised a few here and there that went off to live their own lives and still come back to visit us sometimes."

"Some of those children even have children now because we're old," Prycella said, and the two sisters laughed a little to themselves.

"What I'm saying is," Mina said. "I know that nobles believe in blood relations, but you two know that family is what you make of it. If you want to go out there and find a little one to take care of and make your own, you should but only do it when you're ready. Despite what all of the masters of the world might think, you're still young and don't need to raise children now."

"And since you're not going to be birthing any, you don't have to do it on anyone's terms but your own," Prycella said. "When you two are ready to expand that little wolf pack of yours, you will. It's another of one of those burdens that you don't think you're strong enough to carry, but you will."

"And if any lord or lady thinks it is any business what is going on between your legs, you stick them with your sword, Wolf," Mina said with a smirk that spoke of death. For the first time, Arya wondered if these two had killed a few people in the many years they had been working as healers. She glanced at Gendry; they hadn't really talked about having children yet, and she didn't know if that was something that he even wanted.

"Arya," Gendry said because he always seemed to read her better than anyone in the world. "When we're ready, I would be honored to raise a child with you."

"Me too," Arya whispered. She didn't like to cry in public, but this was Mina and Prycella, so it didn't count. They wouldn't tell anyone how the tears unexpectedly fell from her eyes as she practically crawled into Gendry's lap. They wouldn't tell how the two of them held into each other for what felt like a very long time and whispered sweet nothings to each other. Arya couldn't help but think of her mother. She wondered what Lady Catelyn would think about Arya and her bastard knight husband thinking of raising someone else's orphan as their own. She wondered what the Lady Catelyn would think about Arya even considering motherhood for herself somewhere down the line. As always, Arya hoped that her parents would be proud of the various choices that she made in her life.

+++

They didn't stay much longer at Mina and Prycella's, and no one spoke about the tear tracks on Arya and Gendry's faces as they hugged the two healers. Arya promised that they would come by to visit the next time they passed through the Riverlands. She wanted to make sure that they stopped by every single time they came through the Riverlands to see these two until the day they both sadly passed. Nymeria was waiting for them outside and had left a massive elk sitting in the yard of Mina and Prycella's house. Gendry offered to butcher it for them, but the two sisters pulled out massive knives out of nowhere and insisted that they could take care of themselves.

Arya believed that they could.

It was a beautiful cool day as they continued up toward the North. It was beginning to get a little cooler since it was still the early spring, but Arya didn't mind. She felt a little clearer, the closer they got to their home. Arya decided against seeing if the Frey's were holding up their end of their bargain and trusted Edmure to control them to the best of his abilities. The border between the rest of Westeros was before them sooner rather than later, and Arya wondered if they should make a stop in the Neck to see if Meera needed anything.

A raven was waiting for them with the guards at the border, which didn't surprise Arya that much. She figured that it was only a matter of time before one of her siblings figured out the only way to get ahold of her was to send a raven to the border.

"What does it say?" Gendry asked.

"It's from Jon," Arya said as she read the short letter over and asked the guards how long the message had been waiting for them. "He got a letter from Edric when we left and assumed that we would be home sooner. Then he politely said something along the lines of "where the fuck are you" and "what the fuck are you doing" but in a much more kingly way. I'm actually quite proud of him. He must have gotten help from Sansa about how to insult us politely."

"That is what court is, or so you keep telling me," Gendry said. "Do we need to do any errands for him to make up for being so late, or should we just ride hard for Winterfell and pray to the Old Golds that he doesn't feed us to Ghost?"

"It doesn't have anything specific," Arya said as she walked back over the guards. They were not having this conversation within earshot of anyone else; Arya trusted the men loyal to Jon, but that didn't mean they had to know all of the workings of her family. Also, she wasn't the most respectful person to her king because her king was her brother, and she could only be so respectful to her brother. "Sers, is there anything else for us?"

"I don't believe so, your highness," one of the guards said, but then one of them went very pale.

"Wait, there is something, but it's not for you," he said. The young man turned tail and ran into the small station house where the guards stayed and came out a few minutes later, holding a small package in his hands. "Ser Gendry, this came for you from King's Landing. We didn't know what it was, and we didn't want to deliver it to Winterfell without you being there. The courier said it needed to be delivered directly into your hands, ser." Gendry frowned and climbed off of his horse. He took the package from the men and unwrapped it to reveal three small ingots of metal and a piece of paper. Arya didn't quite understand what was going on, and she really didn't understand why Gendry's eyes went wide, and then he went very pale as he looked at the metal in his hands.

"Gendry?" Arya asked.

"Thank you good sers for making sure that this gets to me," Gendry said, and his smile would fool anyone but her. He gestured to Arya to follow him, and they stepped away from the guards, and they looked at the three ingots of metal.

"What is it? I've never seen you go so pale," Arya said.

"This is a letter from Tobho Mott, my old master," Gendry whispered. "I tried to find him when we took King's Landing, but everyone said he went into hiding after the Goldcloaks came looking for me. He sent me this package because Tobho knew he was dying, and he wanted me to have these." Arya looked at the small ingots of metal and could not understand what was going on.

"Gendry, what is it? What are they?" she asked.

"Arya, this is Valyrian steel," Gendry said as he looked at the metal in his hand. "He said if anyone could figure out how to use these last three ingots that have been passed down in his family for years, it would be me." Arya knew that Gendry had complicated feelings about Tobho Mott. It was quite clear, with the benefit of hindsight, that Mott was trying to save Gendry's life. At the time, Gendry was an angry teenager who didn't understand why the man he looked up to threw him away. Now Mott had sent him three ingots of Valyrian steel that he had passed down through his family like Gendry was his son. Arya didn't know how to comfort her husband, so she took the steel from his hands and slowly tied up the package, so the letter was safe along with the three small ingots. There was not enough metal there to make a sword, there was barely enough to make a knife, but that wasn't the point. No one could forge Valyrian steel from scratch anymore, but Mott had faith enough in Gendry's abilities that he could find a way.

"Come on," Arya whispered, handed Gendry the package. He took it and stared like he wasn't sure what to do with it. "Let's go home."

+++

Arya felt terrible that she felt better now that they were in the North even as she could see that Gendry was struggling. There was rarely a moment where he wasn't looking at the package in his hands like it held answers to questions that he didn't want to ask. Arya knew that the time he was being forced to think about wasn't a good time. It was like someone coming and forcing her to think about her time in King's Landing with her father and Sansa. It was like someone coming and telling her something about Syrio that changed her entire perception of the man. It was a time of her life that she didn't want to think about anymore, and she could tell that Gendry didn't either, but a dying Tobho Mott forced him to.

Nymeria seemed to know that Gendry was hurting and hung around him more. It was endearing to watch her wolf care so much for her husband. She whined and cried and pressed herself close to him as if she could protect him from the pain he was feeling. It was sweet, and Arya could relate even if it was futile. There wasn't anything either of them could really do to help Gendry aside from listening to what he had to say and seeing if that was going to be enough.

"I thought he hated me," Gendry said apropos of nothing after three days of only speaking when spoken to. "I remembered saying to him that whatever I did to make him mad, I would fix it. I remembered I begged because I didn't want to go. I wanted to stay, more than anything, because in that shop I could see a future for myself. Maybe it wasn't going to be glamorous, but it was going to be good enough, and it was going to be mine."

"You don't talk about what happened that day very much," Arya said softly, and Gendry laughed bitterly to himself and shook his head.

"A man who paid for me to work for him threw me out," Gendry said. "You had to watch your father die. I didn't exactly have a lot of room to complain."

"Gendry," Arya said as she moved across their campsite and sat next to him. "Just because what I went through was different doesn't mean what you went through wasn't terrible. I know I spent a long time focused on my own pain, but what you went through was terrible too. You lost everything that day just in a different way from me."

"Tobho knew who I was," Gendry said softly, and Arya reached over to take his hand into hers. "He knew who I was, he had to, and he sent me away to save my life. He knew that me not knowing was safer, so he didn't say anything, but he cared. He sent me this, on his deathbed, and I don't know what I'm supposed to do with it. I don't know what I'm supposed to feel for him." Arya squeezed Gendry's hand and rested her head against his shoulder. She whispered that he was supposed to do anything, that he didn't need to do anything, and she would support him no matter what he decided to do. Nymeria curled up close to them when they slept that night.

The next morning Gendry looked a little less stricken, and he looked over the letter as they ate their breakfast.

"I want to do it," Gendry said as he put the letter back in with the three small ingots and wrapped them uptight. "I want to figure out how to make something out of that metal. I know it's been lost for years, but he knew how to reforge Valyrian steel, then maybe I can figure out how to make something out of it."

"If that's what you want to do, then we'll go out into the world, and we'll find the way. We always talked about traveling, and this sounds like a good excuse," Arya said, and she smiled. Gendry smiled back, and they gathered their things so they could get back on the road.

When Winterfell finally came back into view, Arya felt something loosen in her chest. It was good to be home, and she couldn't wait to see her family again. She didn't regret going south or staying longer to help Edric, Mya, and Bella get settled into Storm's End, but Arya was a woman of the north. Nothing would ever compare to Winterfell. They passed through the gates, and she was home again.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Arya expected the welcoming committee when they arrived, but she didn't quite expect Sansa to stomp up to them looking so much like their mother about to scold her for dirtying her dress. It still gave Arya whiplash to see Sansa walking around Winterfell with how much she looked like their mother and how some of the older servants and maids looked at her like she was Catelyn brought back to life. Right now, she looked all like the woman who birthed both of them as she stared the two of them down.

"I got a raven from Bella saying you were leaving and you should have been back over a month ago, would you like to tell me why it took you so long to get here?" Sansa asked.

"We just took our time," Arya said with a shrug. "We hadn't had the chance to really travel around Westeros together without worrying that someone was going to come out of nowhere and chop off our heads. We just wanted to take our times and see the lands a little bit before coming home." It wasn't strictly a lie, which was probably the only reason that Sansa wasn't going to be able to see through it. It was perhaps a good thing that Bella wasn't at Winterfell anymore because if there were anyone who could see through their lies, it would be Bella.

"Really," Sansa said, and she didn't sound like she believed them. "Gendry? Is this true?"

"You know we want to travel someday, Sansa," Gendry said, which was also not strictly an answer to the question either, and Sansa narrowed her eyes. She had no proof that they were doing anything wrong, and even if she did know about the Westerlands bandits, it's not like it was wrong. Those men were killing people, and they needed someone to take care of them. Sansa looked between the two of them and seemed to visibly deflate a little.

"I know none of this appeals to either of you, but Arya, you're a princess and Gendry, you're her husband and a knight. You both have duties and things that need to be done for the betterment of the North and for our family. If you want to take a long trip, the very least you need to do is let you king know so when people come looking for you both because you're supposed to be back he doesn't have to make up some excuse," Sansa said, and Arya winced. Jon was an honorable man, and the last thing she wanted to do was put her brother in a position where he would have to lie for her sake. She glanced at Gendry, and he sighed as well.

"I'm sorry, Sansa," Arya replied. "Sometimes, I forget that there is more at play here than just what I want to do."

"I know, it has never interested you before, and I know it doesn't interest you now, but we have to be united as a family. There aren't any other options anymore, and being united means all of us," Sansa said softly. "Now, the two of you look exhausted and disgusting. Please go take a wash in the hot springs, and I will let everyone know that you have arrived home safely after unexpected delays in the Riverlands."

"Thank you, Sansa," Gendry said, and he smiled at her. Arya knew that smile because it was a smile that he was learning to use a lot more. It was a smile that was disarmingly beautiful and could usually force people to forgive him for any transgressions. She didn't like it when he used it on her, and Arya snorted a laugh when Sansa raised an unimpressed eyebrow and waved him off. Arya took Gendry's hand and pulled him through the castle to their room. There were clean clothes in their trunks, and despite how sore and tired they both were they Arya was glad to go down and soak for a little while.

The hot springs underneath Winterfell were something that Arya always enjoyed as a child, but as an adult and married woman, she loved them. She loved locking the door and pulling Gendry into the warm water with her. She loved the way his hands felt in the water and how they had time for indulgences like this. Arya threaded her fingers through Gendry's wet hair and sucked on his tongue. She thought about the dream she had in the Riverlands about someone trying to take him away from her and how she wouldn't ever let that happen.

Gendry sucked a bruised onto the tender skin of her neck that was only just going to be covered up by the collar of her shirt, which was a little irritating. If she moved the wrong way, everyone was going to see it, but she also loved knowing that he was the one marking her. She knew that it was only a matter of time before Sansa came looking for them, but right now, she didn't care. Right now, Arya wanted Gendry, but it seemed that time was not on their side. She could feel him hard against her, and she was pulling him between her legs when there was a knock on the door.

"Princess Arya?" a servant said, and Arya groaned as she rested her forehead against Gendry's shoulders. He was clearly trying not to laugh and failing quite miserably. "Your brother, the King, is looking for you and has asked that you come and see him immediately."

"Do you think he knows what we're doing?" Arya whispered.

"I don't think your brother wants to think about what we do when we're naked," Gendry replied, and they weren't going to have time to finish this off properly.

"We'll be out in just a moment," Arya called out as they quickly finished washing and climbed out of the hot spring. It was cold, and the shock of the cold plus the interruption must have been enough to kill the mood for Gendry. He still looked a little uncomfortable as he got dressed, and Arya wanted to make fun of him, but that seemed a little mean. So she pulled on her clothes, took his hand, and they walked through the castle to Jon's solar. He looked up when they opened the door and smiled when he saw them.

"I was getting worried," Jon said as he gestured for them to take a seat. "Sansa told me what you both said about exploring and wanting to travel around Westeros, and you know that I want to support you both doing that, but I need some sort of notice. I can't have people coming around and looking for my sister for some reason only for her to be missing. No one likes it when Stark's go missing these days."

"I can't imagine why," Arya deadpanned, but there was something about this that was bothering her. "Why would anyone want to see me? I'm not Sansa, I don't have any specific duties, so it's not like someone is going to get anything by talking to me."

"It was a representative from House Dustin," Jon replied, and he shrugged. "He didn't say why he wanted to see you just that there was something important he needed to talk to you and only you about."

"I'm sure that's nothing to worry about," Gendry said.

"People came looking for you too," Jon said, and Gendry winced. "Now granted, most of them are Lords of various houses hoping that the great Ser Gendry Stark will make them a great weapon that they can pass along to their children, but it is something."

"You high horns are so obsessed with passing things along to the next generation," Gendry said as he shook his head. "I'll take their orders when they can start looking me in the eye and respecting the orders for what they are. I put a lot of work into the things I make, and I don't like that those people look down on me for it."

"I won't allow it," Jon said. "All someone needs to do is look at my crown or Daenerys' crown or Yara's crown to see how talented you are. I won't have anyone look down on you."

"That's nice of you to say, Jon, but you can't make them do anything," Gendry said with a shrug. "You know some of them still resent me for being here at all."

"Don't remind me of politics," Jon said as he rubbed his temples, and the door opened as Sansa and Theon walked in. Arya was a little surprised to see Theon since he usually avoided conversations like this, but it seemed like he was a little more secure in his place here. He made Sansa happy, and it would make Sansa happy to see Theon jump at loud noises and shy away from crowds a little less. Perhaps it was only a matter of time before he was better.

"Is he complaining about politics?" Sansa asked as she sat down at the table.

"Oh yes," Arya said with a smile.

"He has every reason to," Sansa said. "We are getting ravens from the lesser houses, and they are starting to ask some questions that we need to start thinking about." Bran and Meera came into the room a few minutes later, and the door was finally closed as they were all finally settled down so they could talk.

"What are these ravens?" Bran asked.

"The houses want to know about the crown and what we plan on doing next," Sansa and they all stared at her because it seemed like no one, even Jon, knew precisely what she was talking about. "Jon is still unmarried, and that makes them nervous. They don't like a king that doesn't have any heirs."

"I don't want to talk about this again," Jon said.

"But we need to talk about this," Sansa said. "They want some sort of plan for the future, and you not having any heirs seems to be some sort of indication that you don't have any."

"That doesn't make sense," Jon said, but he looked a little uncomfortable about this entire conversation. "Sansa is my Hand, she would rule in my place if something happened to me, and Bran is my heir with Meera followed by Sansa and Arya and Gendry. I don't see why that is a problem."

"They don't like that there aren't any children running around," Bran said as he reached over and took Meera's hand. "They know that there is a chance that I won't be able to have children because of my accident, and until Meera gets pregnant, we'll never really know one way or another."

"I'd like to wait a few more years, but I have a feeling that isn't an option," Meera said, and she frowned.

"Meera, I don't want you to force yourself to get pregnant just because it's what a bunch of lesser lords want. If you aren't ready, you shouldn't have to have children yet. I'm young; we're all young, there isn't any reason we have to rush this," Jon said.

"I can assure you, Jon if it is going to happen, it's going to happen. We're not exactly careful," Meera said with a smirk that made Bran's ears turn a little red. Arya didn't want to think about her little brother having sex, and judging by the faces that everyone at the table save for Gendry made no one else did either. Gendry, to his credit, didn't look like he really cared either way.

"Thank you for the update," Sansa said carefully, and Meera just looked far too pleased with herself about this entire thing, which only made Arya laugh a little to herself. "Jon, I'm currently unmarried and don't plan to be with anyone besides Theon, and he cannot have children anymore."

"Sansa, we've never really talked about--" Theon said.

"I'm not getting into this conversation yet again," Sansa said a little louder as she looked over at Theon fondly. "I chose you, and you're the one I want to be with. I don't want to lie with another man anyway, and the idea of lying back to think about Winterfell, the North, and heirs turns my stomach. I can't do it, I just can't, and you know that. I want to be with you in the capacity that we are currently together. It is more than enough for me." Theon blinked, took Sansa's hand into his own, and kissed her knuckles.

"Jon," Arya said softly. "You know that I can't have children either. It's not exactly something I want to let all of the kingdom know, but they are going to figure it out eventually."

"We don't have to tell them it's you," Gendry said. "We can blame me, say there is something wrong with me, and that's why it won't happen. It's no one's business, but I won't let people look down on you because you're a survivor." Arya smiled sadly at her husband and didn't say anything; she wasn't sure she wanted anyone to know anything about the fact that they couldn't have children.

"When I decided to honor Arya's marriage and continue to allow Sansa and Theon's courtship, I knew that this was something that I was going to have to deal with eventually. I just didn't think it was going to have to be so soon," Jon said as he leaned back in his chair and rubbed his temples. "I still love one woman, and she isn't here anymore. I never thought I would have to marry someone for political reasons, so it's not something I've exactly had time to get used to." Jon glanced at Sansa. "How much longer do you think I can hold off the lords asking about my marriage?"

"It would depend," Sansa said.

"On what?" Jon asked.

"On us," Bran said. "If we're going to have a child, then you could name him or her as your heir, and it would calm the lords down long enough for you to find someone to make a strong alliance with."

"They would be happier if I named you or your children my heirs anyway, Bran," Jon said with a bitter smile. "They said they support me, and at the end of the day, they probably do, but they want a trueborn child of Ned Stark on the throne, which I am not. If I name you and your children as my heirs, it might make them more willing to follow me for the foreseeable future."

Arya's first instinct was to yell and insist that Jon was their brother and a Stark, he had the name, but she held her tongue. This was one of those moments where she knew that she wasn't playing the game properly. It didn't matter that Daenerys legitimized Jon the same way that it didn't really matter that they legitimized Gendry. There were always going to be people that judged them for their birth and what that meant. She might not like it or agree with it, but that didn't make it any less accurate. It was the same way that someday they were going to have to make a formal announcement that she couldn't have children, and people were going to see her as lesser for that even though it wasn't her fault.

"I'll begin to draft formal ravens to send to all of the lesser houses, and then we need to consider your marriage, Jon," Sansa said.

"It was the choice I made when I decided to become King of the North, and I would do it again to give the three of you the chance to marry for love," Jon replied. It was selfless and something Arya could see her father doing. While the lesser houses might claim that Jon was not Ned's son, her father was all she could see in her older brother.

+++

Sansa sent out the ravens the next day, and Arya wished that she could feel a little better about it. She wasn't supposed to be anywhere close to the crown, yet there weren't that many people between her and ruling the North. Arya didn't want it, she didn't even want to be a princess, and if she could relinquish her title, she would in a second. There wasn't anything Arya gained by being a princess, and it only seemed to make her life harder. It made people look at her like they expected things from her, and it made them judge what she did with her life. If she was just Arya, she could take Gendry, and they wouldn't have to worry about any of this. They could find a small home with Nymeria and just live without any worries.

That would mean leaving Winterfell, and that wasn't something Arya thought she could do again. She wasn't sure she could leave for longer than a couple of months at a time. Even being away to help in the Westerlands and Storm's End with Edric, Mya, and Bella was a bit too much. The North was part of her, and any time she was away from it was like leaving a part of herself behind. Arya didn't want that either, but there wasn't anything she could do about it. She would do her duty as a princess of the North and help Jon the best she could. She would turn the other cheek to the people who looked at her like they couldn't believe that she didn't have a babe on each arm already. They were talking about Gendry, they were blaming him because it couldn't be her fault and Arya didn't want that.

"Let them blame me," Gendry said when Arya went to visit him the second time she heard someone mention how they didn't have any children even though they had been together for so many years. "They already say that I'm a southern bastard who isn't good enough for you. We might as well let them say there is something wrong with my cock too."

"You don't mean that," Arya said because there was no way he meant that. Gendry didn't even look up from the work he was doing on Yara's crown as he looked over the metal and frowned. He was detailing the metal to make it look like wood, and it was a process that was taking so much time.

"I do," Gendry said. "What's one more thing to add to the many reasons they already hate me? It isn't going to make a difference one way or another at this point. If they find out you can't have children, even if they found out how it happened, they might hold it against you in some way. One of us should stay in good standing with nobles, and you're a lot better at faking pleasantries than I am. I can just hand them pretty weapons; they won't know how to use and pretend I don't hear what they say about me."

"When did you get so smart?" Arya asked.

"I didn't. We both know I'm an idiot as you like to remind me," Gendry said, and he looked up to smile at her. "Sansa suggested it, and I agreed with her; giving them one more reason to think I'm not good enough for you isn't going to make a difference at this point." Arya wanted to yell at Sansa for suggesting that Gendry debase himself further to the lesser houses of the North, but she held herself back. Sansa was right; they needed the lesser houses on their side, and this was one way to keep them from rebelling.

A month went by after Sansa sent the ravens out, and Arya caught her sister making faces as scrolls with the seal from House Dustin on it. She didn't know what the Lord was doing to make Sansa so annoyed, and when she asked, Sansa waved her off. She said it was stupid things that didn't make any sense and that she would handle or Jon would. They gathered in the Great Hall for dinner, and Arya noticed that Meera and Bran were looking at each other and smirking. Nothing good ever came from Bran and Meera giving each other a look like that. It usually meant that Bran was about to say something incredibly weird that was going to make everyone very uncomfortable, and then they were both going to sit back and watch everyone react to the news.

Arya prepared herself for something insane when Bran tapped his glass and called for everyone to be quiet. They didn't have any guests visiting today, so it was just the members of Winterfell and the family in the Great Hall, which was still a fair amount of people.

"Everyone, I wanted to share some news with all of you," Bran said, and Jon was already rubbing his temples like he had a headache from whatever Bran was about to tell all of them. Arya knew how he felt and waited. "Maester Wolken confirmed today, and Princess Meera and I are expecting our first child." Jon dropped his glass of wine, Sansa made a high pitched squealing noise, Theon went a little pale, Gendry looked delighted, and whatever Arya was expecting Bran to say it wasn't that.

Meera was with child, her little brother was going to be a father, she was going to be an aunt, and there were going to be wolf pups in Winterfell again.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Arya wasn't quite sure what happened to Sansa, but she was beginning to think that something had broken the brain of her poor sister. She hadn't seen a smile like that on Sansa in years, and Arya watched as Sansa ran around Winterfell so excited for the baby like she was the one who was with child. It was a little amazing to watch. Sansa excitedly sent out the ravens to all of the houses and then wrote some more to all of their various allies, including Daenerys, Edmure and Roslin, the Baratheon, and Yara.

"Do you think I'll get to send any of these ravens out?" Meera asked one day as they were relaxing in the godswood with Nymeria. It seemed that Nymeria knew that Meera was pregnant and had attached herself to Meera and wouldn't leave her side. No matter what Arya said or did, Nymeria was going to protect that new pup with her life. Ghost was also lingering close but seemed to know that Nymeria had it handled.

"Not a chance," Arya said. "It's best to just let these sorts of things happen when it comes to Sansa. She's excited, though, and I don't think I've seen her like this since we were kids. It's nice to see people smiling and excited again."

"Yeah, it'll be nice to have some little Reed's running around with Stark blood," Meera said as she placed a hand on her stomach. "I just wish my parents or Jojen were here to see this. My cousins tell me that Greywater Reach is doing well, and I love the North, but I do miss the Neck more than I can express sometimes."

"I'll make sure you get down there again," Arya said. "I know what it's like to be far away from home and wanting to go back but knowing that you can't for whatever reason. Your reasons are good at least, but that little pup is a Stark and a Reed. It needs to know the waters of the Neck as much as it needs to know the snow of Winterfell."

"Bran said the same thing and even said he would do his best to come with me when I want to go if I wanted to take the baby with me, but I don't think that's a good idea," Meera said, and she looked a little sad. "I've only traveled without Bran once, and that was when I went with you to deal with House Frey. I think it would bring some bad memories if we traveled together. But I wouldn't want to keep Bran from his son or daughter too."

"You have plenty of time to figure this out," Arya said as she placed a hand on Meera's shoulder and squeezed it. "And you have us; we're not going to let you go through this alone." Meera smiled, and the two of them sat quietly until Sansa found them sometime later. Sansa sat down in the snow, uncaring of the mud on her skirts, and grinned.

"I'm starting to think you're more excited about this than I am," Meera said, and Sansa blushed a little.

"I love babies and children. I miss the days when children would run around Winterfell, and I can't wait to see it happening again," Sansa said with a shrug. "And I'm not going to have children of my own, so I have to live through you. I chose Theon, and he cannot have children, and I won't have children that aren't Theon's."

"Maybe we should trade partners," Arya said with a smirk. "You can borrow Gendry, and we'll get the whole thing sorted out. It won't be a problem, right?"

"Arya, that isn't even a little funny!" Sansa said. She sounded scandalized, but she was laughing. Arya knew how much her sister wanted to be a mother someday and, much like her and Gendry, Sansa and Theon were going to raise a child that wasn't of their blood. It wasn't the same, though, and Arya knew that Sansa was at least a little sad that she was going to be missing out on something like this even if Sansa wasn't a fan of the steps it took to getting with child.

"Can you imagine the looks on those stupid boys' faces if either of you even mentioned that?" Meera said with a laugh. "I'm pretty sure Gendry would flee into the forest and not come back for several weeks if he could get away with it."

"Oh, several weeks if you were lucky," Arya said. "If he could find a smithy with someone who wouldn't tell us where he was, he'd hole up there for days at a time beating metal into submission as if it had personally offended him. What would Theon do if he heard that?" Sansa wasn't looking at either of them; she was staring at her hands, which were twisted painfully in her lap. Arya was joking, but as she glanced at Meera, she realized that maybe this wasn't something Theon was ready to joke about. She had time, years even, to come to terms with what was done with her body and the choice that was taken from her. Theon had not.

"Theon would probably go back to the Iron Isles and never return to me," Sansa said softly. Arya didn't know what to say to that, Meera clearly didn't either, and the three of them sat in the godswood in silence for a long time.

+++

Gendry was coming to enjoy his life in Winterfell as much as he could. The Stark's were good people that had gone out of their way to accept him as a member of the family. He knew it was partially because they were good people, but it was also because they didn't want to risk losing Arya again. He could have been legitimized as a Baratheon, but his bastard status would follow him for the rest of his life the same way some people still thought of Jon as a bastard. He knew he wouldn't ever be good enough for their wild warrior princess, so Gendry did his best to keep his head down and not to cause trouble for Jon and Sansa.

The topic of children had started to come up a lot more in recent months, and before Meera announced that she was expecting Gendry went to Sansa with worries about what people would say about Arya when they found out she couldn't have children. He knew what people said when members of the smallfolk were barren; he couldn't even begin to think what they would say about a high born girl who couldn't have children.

"They will use it against her in every possible way," Sansa said with a sigh. "They will start terrible rumors about her being even more ruined than she already is, and it will undermine us with our bannermen. You know that women aren't seen as anything other than vessels for producing heirs, and if you cannot do that, then you have no purpose."

"The Hand to the King is a woman, the head of the Kingsguard is a woman, and one of your greatest warriors is not only a woman but a princess, and people still think she isn't worth anything more than her ability to have children?" Gendry wanted to spit on the ground for his disgust at this system but couldn't because they were inside, and Sansa was way scarier than people realized.

"I know," Sansa said, and she sighed. "I know how much you love my sister, and I do have one idea, but she's not going to like it, and it isn't going to make things easier for you here."

"Tell me," Gendry said without hesitating.

"We'll tell them the reason you two cannot have children is because of you, not her," Sansa said carefully. Gendry blinked and realized why this would work.

"They already hate me so what is one more reason," Gendry said as he leaned back in his chair and frowned. "Do you think they'll ever accept me?"

"I don't know," Sansa said. "I wish I did, but I don't. You're from the south, and the south has given us a lot of trouble over the years. You're the son of the king that took Ned Stark and his daughters away from Winterfell. Robert Baratheon asking my father to be his Hand is likely the reason so many members of my family are dead. If he hadn't asked, then maybe they would be alive."

"Robb would be ruling or even Ned still," Gendry said. "But they wouldn't be independent." He sighed and looked at the fire in front of him. "She isn't going to like it, but I'll do it anyway if it'll make things easier for you and Jon."

"That loyalty will hopefully be the thing that will win them over in the end," Sansa said and kissed him on the cheek. Meera announced she was pregnant not long after and that appeared to be the distraction that everyone needed. There weren't any more talks about when he was going to have kids with Arya, and if they had been together so long, why hadn't they had kids yet. Gendry had to hand it to Bran and Meera; they had excellent timing. He was busy now, in the forge, putting the final details on the crown for Yara. Theon was supposed to come down and bring him a drawing of the driftwood crown that this was based on so he could get a better idea of what it looked like.

"Ser?" a female voice said, and Gendry looked up to see one of the kitchen girls standing in the doorway.

"May I help you?" Gendry asked, and the girl blushed, which confused him. He looked around to make sure that he hadn't done anything stupid, but there wasn't anything.

"I have a meal for you, ser if you're hungry," she said as she carried a tray of food into the forge, but he wasn't quite ready to stop working on the crown for food.

"You can leave it on the table, and I'll get to it in a little while," Gendry said. "Thank you." The girl curtsied and walked out of the forge. He watched her go and was more than a little confused. The staff knew him and more or less treated him like they would treat one of their own when it was just them. It was what he wanted and what he asked them to do when he moved into Winterfell permanently. He didn't like having people wait on him as it was the idea of anyone bowing to him made Gendry very uncomfortable. The only explanation was that the girl had to be new and didn't know that he made that request. Gendry made a mental note to tell Beth, the lovely woman who ran the kitchens, to inform the girl of his request should he see her in the future.

He went back to working on the crown but looked up when the door to the forge opened again, and Theon walked in. Gendry could tell that something was bothering him and gestured for Theon to come in and have a seat in a chair Gendry had near his work table. Arya usually sat there if she wanted to watch him work, but she wasn't here today; she was spending some time with Sansa and Meera. Theon collapsed into the chair and stared at the ceiling. Gendry went back to working on the crown and waited for Theon to say whatever he came in here to say. Sometimes, Theon needed more time to say the words, and Gendry had all the time in the world to wait.

"She's so happy," Theon said softly.

"Who is?" Gendry asked without looking up from his work.

"Sansa, she's so happy that Meera is having a baby. I've never seen her like that," Theon said, and he sounded sad. Gendry looked up from his work, and Theon looked like he wanted to be anywhere else in the world right now.

"It's an exciting time. Why would that bother you?"

"She's so happy about something she can't have because she's with me," Theon said, and he curled into himself a little in the chair as if he could make himself smaller somehow. It didn't work, and Gendry set the crown aside. He was going to send a raven to Yara today to let her know that the crown was finished, he was just putting the fine detailing on it, and by the time the raven got the Iron Isles, it would be done. Now he was wondering if he was going to have to add an update about Theon's state of mind as well.

"She chose you," Gendry said. "The same way that Arya chose me and Meera chose Bran. Those women, those amazing women, they knew what they were getting into when they chose to be with men like us. Arya knew that people were always going to question our marriage and look down on it, and it was always going to be hard, but she chose me anyway. Meera knew that she had to give up Greywater Reach and the Neck to stay here in the Neck if she chose to stay with Bran, and she did. She chose him over her home because that is what she wanted. Sansa could have any man in the world; you know that as much as I do, but you are the one she chose. She wants to be with you, Theon, and she chose to be with you knowing that one of the things she was giving up was having her own children. She chose you anyway."

"Well, maybe it was a mistake," Theon snapped. "Maybe she made a mistake, and she'll realize that she doesn't really want me, or she'll regret not having her own children someday."

"You're going to take a child in someday, the same Arya, and I plan to, so she's going to be a mother, and you're going to be a father," Gendry said, and Theon winced as if the very idea was painful to him. "Not now because you're both still healing, but that little pup that Bran and Meera are bringing into the world? It's going to heal this place. I can feel it. It's why Nymeria is following Meera around; she knows that the little one is going to heal us all. Sansa wants to be with you; she chose you, so respect her enough to honor that choice." Theon's hands were twisted into a knot in front of him, and he eventually looked up at Gendry with wide eyes.

"You're a lot more perceptive than you let on," Theon said.

"They underestimate me, and I'd like to keep it that way. It's safer for all involved, which I think is something you understand," Gendry said with a shrug. "Your sister's crown is nearly done, and I was going to send a raven to her today to let her know. Do I need to include anything about you when I send this raven?"

"No, I'll figure my own shit out," Theon said as he stood up and left. Gendry had a feeling that Theon didn't believe him, but there wasn't anything that he could do about that. He set the crown in a safe place and sat down at the table to eat some food. The raven could wait a little while to go out.

+++

Arya could tell that something was wrong with several people in Winterfell, but it didn't appear that anyone was really talking about it. Theon seemed to be withdrawing even more, and when Theon withdrew, he took Sansa with him. Without Sansa around, Meera was having a hard time with her pregnancy, which put more stress on Bran, who was already extremely stressed about this entire thing. Gendry, it seemed, was the only one who was taking all of this in stride. He just sat back and let everyone have their own private meltdowns, and whenever Arya brought it up, he would remind her that it wasn't her responsibility to fix her family's problems. Sometimes they needed to solve these things on their own.

She didn't like that answer, but she accepted it for what it was. That didn't mean Arya didn't try. She did her best to keep Theon engaged and talk to Sansa. She tried to keep Meera happy and healthy despite how little she knew about pregnancy. Arya had maternal instincts; she knew that, but she didn't know how to use them in this type of situation, so half the time, she let the people affected rant about their various problems until they were drained or out of breath.

They were all breaking their fast one morning when someone ran in with a scroll and handed it to Gendry. He opened it and raised an eyebrow.

"Queen Yara got my notice that her crown is ready and is insisting that I deliver it myself to the Iron Isles. Apparently, since I did for Queen Daenerys and since I personally handed King Jon his crown, it would be a great dishonor to her if I didn't bring the crown to her personally," Gendry said.

"Of course," Jon said, but he rolled his eyes and smiled a little. Jon and Yara got along surprisingly well, and they both knew what it was like to be fiercely protective of siblings that were a bit broken in the long run.

"Arya is, of course, permitted to join me--"

"--How kind of her to permit me to accompany my own husband on a journey--" Arya interjected.

"--and Prince Theon is also summoned along with Princess Sansa," Gendry finished. They all turned to Theon, who had suddenly become very pale in front of them.

"She wants me to come home?" Theon asked, and Gendry nodded as he stood up and handed Theon the scroll to read. Something on the scroll made Theon go even more white as he read over the words. "Sansa, you don't have to come with me, of course. You are the Hand of the King; I'm sure you are needed here."

"Nonsense," Sansa said with a wave of her hand. "Jon can handle things while I'm away, can't you, Jon?"

"I see no reason why I couldn't," Jon said with a smile. "It would be good for both of you to get out of Winterfell for a little while."

"Sansa, really, it's okay, you don't--" Theon tried, but Sansa frowned.

"Why don't you want me to come with you?" she asked, and her eyes widened. "Are you not planning on coming back? Is that what this is?"

"No, I would never do that to you!" Theon exclaimed as he waved the scroll around like it had all of the answers in the world.

"Then why wouldn't you want me to come with you?" Sansa asked, and she plucked the scroll from his hand. Theon looked like he was about to argue and ask for it back as she read it. "Oh, this doesn't just request me by name. It requested that Prince Theon and his betrothed Princess Sansa come to the Iron Isles to celebrate the joining of our Great Kingdoms and Houses."

"I don't know why Yara thinks we're betrothed, I didn't tell her that, I promise that I didn't," Theon said so quickly that he was nearly stumbling over his words.

"Do you not want to be betrothed?" Sansa asked. "Is that what the problem is?"

"What?"

"We are betrothed in all but name. We never made it official, I know, but we share a bed and a life. I thought you knew that meant I chose you for good," Sansa said. "I asked you to stay, and you said you were staying, did you not mean it when you said you were staying? Do you not want to stay with me?"

"I would stay with you in any capacity you have me," Theon said as he stared at Sansa like she hung the moon itself.

"So I will travel with you as your betrothed because we're betrothed," Sansa said as she reached over and took his hand. "I am yours, Theon Greyjoy, and I would very much like you to be mine."

"Yes," he said, and everyone fell silent as they stared at the two of them.

"Congratulations to Prince Theon and Princess Sansa on their official betrothal, I suppose," Jon said as he raised a glass. Arya laughed to herself as she watched Theon and Sansa both come to terms with what just happened around them. They both appeared to have forgotten that everyone was watching this unfold, and they just got betrothed in a very public way.

"And people say I'm the dramatic one in the family," Bran said with a smirk and Meera hit him on the arm.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Gendry found this entire thing to be a little annoying. It wasn't that he had anything against Yara, he actually quite liked her, and she's the reason they were able to find Edric, but he really didn't want to drag himself all the way to the Iron Isles like this just to deliver her crown. She knew the circumstances for why he hand-delivered Daenerys' crown, and they were different. This was something out of his way, and he didn't want to deal with it. He didn't mind sailing that much, but the west side of Westeros tended to have rougher waves, and with more turbulent seas came the chance of getting sick. Gendry also had a lot of work to do in his forge and around Winterfell, but he couldn't tell a sitting monarch "no" and even more so now that they were going to be related by marriage.

He was happy for Theon and Sansa, he really was, but Gendry wasn't sure that either of them knew what the world was going to say when the word got out. Theon was a pariah in the North, and it was Sansa's claim on him that kept him the lesser houses from demanding capital punishment for his crimes. The Stark's might have forgiven him, but the North remembered, and they didn't trust him. They hated Gendry because he was a southern bastard who sullied one of their princesses, but Theon betrayed the Stark's and helped sack Winterfell. They wouldn't forgive him for that. Theon was a noble by birth, and he didn't have the kind of experience that Gendry did when it came to dealing with hatred.

Gendry didn't want that for either of them, but he knew it was coming. He could tell by the way the smallfolk that came in and out of Winterfell glared whenever Theon was around. He could hear the whispers the same way he could hear the whispers about him. It was going to be a harsh lesson that the two of them were going to have to learn and go through. Gendry just hoped they were both strong enough to get through it.

There was a knock on the door of the forge, and it was Sansa. Her red hair seemed to catch fire in the afternoon sunlight, and she was smiling brightly.

"Gendry, I was wondering if you could help me," she said as she walked into the forge. Sansa didn't seem to care that soot was getting all over her nice dress but, then again, she might be so happy right now that it didn't really matter.

"What can I do for you?" he asked. Sansa opened her hand and revealed a silver ring with a wolf on it.

"It's my mother's, and I spoke with Theon. We both think this would make for a lovely engagement ring, but it doesn't quite fit me, do you think you could resize it?" she asked.

"You people do know I'm a blacksmith and not a jeweler," Gendry said as he took the ring from her hand and began to look it over. It was a thin ring and probably the most delicate thing he had ever worked on before. "Sansa, I'm worried I'll somehow ruin it if I try to resize this. Plus, I'm assuming you want this to wear when we go to the Iron Isles?" She nodded, and Gendry frowned. That only left him a few days before they set off, and he didn't think he would have the time to get the ring ready. "I'm sorry, Sansa, but I wouldn't want to rush resizing this. I wouldn't want to risk ruining the ring by rushing. I think we'll need to find something else for you to use as an engagement ring in the meantime."

"Do you think you could make me something basic and easy before we leave?" Sansa asked, and Gendry looked at his supplies.

"I don't have any gemstones, but I always have leftover dragonglass. I could polish it and make it shine if you think that will work," Gendry said, and Sansa grinned. She threw her arms around him and hugged Gendry tightly. Sansa still flinched when certain people touched her, but he was one of the exceptions. He hugged her back and let her hold him for a moment. They both weren't paying attention when the door to the forge open and the kitchen girl who always called him "ser" walked in with a plate of food.

"My lady, ser, I'm so sorry," the girl said. "I didn't mean to interrupt anything. I can come back at another time."

"You just interrupted a hug," Sansa said as she took a step back. "Let me know if you need anything."

"I just need to measure your finger," Gendry said. He took her delicate hand into his and managed to get his dirty fingers all over her pale skin. Sansa didn't say a word as he measured her left ring finger and got what he needed.

"Thank you, Gendry," Sansa said when he was done.

"Have a good day, Sansa," Gendry said, and he watched her walk out of the forge. The kitchen girl, he still didn't catch her name, watched them with wide eyes as she set the plate down on the table. "I told you; you don't have to call me "ser" or any other title."

"That would be rude to the man who armed our army and helped save us from the dead," the girl said, and she was blushing. Gendry stared and raised an eyebrow at her. When he didn't say anything, she hesitated and flashed him a warm smile. "Have a good day, ser." She turned and walked out of the forge before he could stop her. Gendry sighed and wanted to lie down; he wondered when people stopped listening to his requests about this sort of thing and if this was going to be a problem going forward.

+++

Sansa and Theon hadn't traveled since before Ramsay, and Theon hadn't ridden a horse much since he lost his leg. Arya knew he didn't want to bring a carriage because he was a man, and man shouldn't have to ride in one like that, but he just didn't have his balance on a horse yet. They had a small carriage that would fit Sansa and Theon comfortably when they traveled, but they would have to leave to sleep in the tents. Arya wondered what it was going to be like to travel with Sansa again; it brought back some bad memories of the last time they traveled together.

Arya thought about Lady and how she didn't deserve what happened to her. She thought about Mycach and how he was just a boy that didn't know any better. Now that she was an adult Arya knew that she made a mistake when she made friends with the smallfolk the way she did as a child. She didn't regret her ability to make friends, and it had no doubt saved her life on more than one occasion, but Arya also knew that she needed to be more careful. This journey would bring back a time when she and Sansa all but hated each other, which was a thought that made Arya sick to her stomach now.

She couldn't believe there was ever a time that she hated a member of her family. Sansa was cruel as a child, and Arya knew she didn't deserve the torment, but that didn't mean she should have hated her sister. In her darkest moments as a child, Arya was glad that Sansa was going to be sent away to be married someday. Those were the days when she still thought that she could stay in Winterfell for the rest of her life. Now, looking back, if things had gone according to plan, Arya knew her father wouldn't have sent her back to Winterfell eventually. Her father would have found her a southern husband several years after Sansa got married to Joffrey. That was why she went south; so her father could find her a husband someday.

This whole trip was going to bring back memories Arya didn't want to think about, yet as she watched Sansa and Theon walk around Winterfell together with huge smiles on their faces, Arya tried not to think about the bad. Her sister was safe, she was happy, and she was getting to marry for love. That was something Arya didn't think she would ever get to see as a child, and now it made her happy to see Sansa so happy.

The days leading up to the trip passed by quickly, and before long, they were ready to set out. Gendry emerged from the forge right before they were set to leave and handed something to Sansa. Sansa made some sort of high pitched squealing noise and threw her arms around Gendry to hug him tightly. Arya laughed at how surprised Gendry still looked by the sudden bursts of affection from other people and walked over to join them.

"What's made her so happy?" Arya asked as Sansa released Gendry.

"I wanted a ring to wear to the Iron Isles, and Gendry managed to make one just in time," Sansa said. Theon was close by, and he smiled as they all looked at the small silver ring in her hand. The band was polished clean silver, and there was a large piece of dragonglass in the middle of the ring with two smaller pieces on either. Much like Daenerys and Jon's crowns, the dragonglass seemed to shine in the light.

"As always, you do amazing work, Gendry," Arya said, and she kissed his cheek. It always amused her to see her burly husband blush like a maid, and this was no different. Both Sansa and Theon thanked him for the ring, and Jon walked out to see them off. They were going to stop in Winter Town first to pick up a few supplies that they would need, and then they would be off to the coast to get a boat to take to the Iron Isles. Arya knew that Gendry didn't really want to travel like this when a monarch was ordering him around, but she was excited. The Iron Isles was a place she hadn't been to before, and that was always something Arya looked forward to.

"Send ravens once you get to the port and again once you to the islands," Jon said as he hugged Arya tightly. "I want you and Gendry to look out for them," Jon said as he lowered his voice so no one else could hear.

"You don't trust Yara?" Arya whispered back.

"No, I trust Yara, it's her men I don't trust," Jon replied, and he kissed her forehead. She understood what he meant; Theon was a prince now who was refusing to come home to help his sister rule. None of them knew what kind of reception they were going to get at the Iron Isles or if they were going to be happy that Theon had willfully tied himself to House Stark, the people that effectively held him hostage for almost his entire life. Arya knew that her father made sure that Theon was treated well, but Theon had told her that he was constantly afraid as a boy. That all it took was his father to do one stupid thing, and he thought that her father would take his head. It was another moment where the Winterfell of her memories didn't line up with reality. Arya always thought of Theon like another brother, but it wasn't like that for him.

Sansa accepted her hug from Jon while Theon shook Jon's hand. Meera and Bran came out to join them. Meera was starting to show a little, and by the time they got back from the Iron Isles, she was going to look properly pregnant. It was a strange thing to think about but hugged them both tightly. Nymeria seemed torn in wanting to come with them until they got to the port and to stay as close to Meera as possible. Arya knelt down in front of her wolf and scratched her behind the ears.

"Gendry, Sansa, Theon, and I will be fine. I need you to stay here and look after Jon, Bran, Meera, and the pup, okay?" Arya asked. Nymeria blinked her golden eyes once and then turned around to sit back at Meera's side. Arya smiled and climbed back onto her horse.

"Nymeria isn't coming?" Gendry asked as he secured his hammer and climbed on his horse. "Does that mean we're going to have to hunt for our food and keep ourselves warm?"

"It'll be like traveling when we were kids," Arya said with a smirk. Gendry rolled his eyes as the guards that were escorting them to the port climbed on their horses. Sansa helped Theon get into the carriage and climbed in herself, and they began to walk out of Winterfell. Arya was excited to travel and see the world again, even if this was about as close to official business as they were going to get. She just hoped that nothing was going to happen on the Iron Isles that was going to make Sansa have to choose between Theon and Winterfell. Arya didn't think Theon would ever ask her to make that choice, but once they were on the islands, it was a little harder to say "no" to people.

+++

Sansa settled in the carriage next to Theon and sighed happily when he put an arm around her shoulders. When the carriage door closed, Theon took her hand into his, pressed a kiss to her palm, and put the ring that Gendry made her on her finger. It was adorable and romantic and the exact opposite of what her engagement actually was. When Sansa thought about what her engagement was, basically a fight and two people not communicating properly in front of the entire Great Hall, she blushed. Now she couldn't be happier to finally have the man she loved in her arms and know that he was going to stay there.

The ride of Winter Town was short, but Sansa still wanted to get out and see the people a little. She hadn't left Winterfell much since the battle against the dead, and she was eager to see the people that she was serving. So when they stopped, Sansa eagerly climbed out of the carriage and offered a hand to Theon to help him out as well.

"I'm the one that's supposed to be helping you," Theon said as he used his cane to steady himself. Theon could walk well but usually carried a cane in case he stepped strange or lost his balance. He offered Sansa an arm, and they began to walk through the streets of Winter Town as Arya, Gendry, and their guards began to gather supplies. Out of the corner of her eye, Sansa could see two guards from Winterfell walking behind them, but they stayed a few steps back. Sansa smiled as she greeted people, and they smiled at her, but there was something strange about the way they were acting. Sansa knew what people playing to nobility looked like, and this was it.

She wished she knew someone well enough in town that she could ask them what was going on, but anyone that Sansa knew wasn't here right now. So they strolled past the tavern, and she could hear some men snickering. Sansa froze and glanced at the gentleman.

"Good sers, may I help you with something?" she asked. Theon was radiating tension at her side, and she knew that this was going to be a lot on him. He didn't like crowds, and he disliked crowds of unfamiliar people even more.

"We heard the announcement of your betrothal, Princess Sansa, we were just wondering why you lowered yourself to be with a traitor like Theon Greyjoy," one man said, and he spat on the ground.

"I beg your pardon," Sansa said, her voice low and dangerous, but the men didn't seem to realize that they were dealing with the Red Wolf right now.

"Rumor is there isn't anything between his legs," another man said, and they all began to laugh to themselves. "Our princess can do better than you, you fucking traitor, and the North will never accept you." Sansa clenched her fists and was about to say something about how Theon was a hero who fought to keep all of them alive in the battle against the dead, but Theon touched her hand.

"Let's go," he whispered, and Theon sounded so broken at that moment that Sansa just wanted to get him away from all of this. She glared at the men who seemed to realize that they had very much stepped over the line and helped Theon back to the carriage. He was leaning on his cane more than usual and climbed into the carriage without a word. Gendry was standing nearby, and if there were anyone she could talk about this, it would be him.

"Some men just said such horrible things about Theon," Sansa said, and she realized that she was so angry that she was shaking. "How could they say such things? Don't they know that he helped save Bran and Meera's lives during the battle against the dead? Doesn't that mean anything?"

"I helped make every single weapon we used to win that fight against the dead, and they still hate me too," Gendry said as he looked at the carriage. "Sansa, they aren't going to just accept your marriage to him just like they aren't going to just accept mine and Arya's. You're going to have to deal with a lot of people saying a lot of terrible things for possibly the rest of your lives."

"He deserves better," Sansa whispered as the anger began to fade from her and left her with a strong sense of weariness. "You both do."

"He chose you just like I chose Arya. We knew what we were getting into when we decided to stay with the She-Wolves of the North," Gendry said with a shrug. Sansa didn't really like that answer, but there wasn't anything she could do about it right now. So she wordlessly climbed into the carriage and took Theon into her arms. He was shaking, and she let him shake until they left Winter Town behind them and set off for the coast. Eventually, Theon shifted and put his head down in her lap. Sansa stared out at the window as she ran her fingers through his hair and tried not to think about the look on Theon's face when those men made their comments.

+++

It was going to take them almost ten days to ride to the coast to get a boat, and Sansa could see that Theon wasn't handling it well. After the incident in Winter Town, he refused to leave the carriage when they would pass through small towns; he wouldn't interact with people at all. He was withdrawing again, Sansa could see it, and she didn't know how to fix it. She took his hand into hers and held on tightly as Sansa tried to tell him without words that she was here for him. She didn't care what these people said because he was the one she wanted to be with. She caught Gendry's eye a few times, and he looked like he understood what was going on all too well.

Sansa didn't think about what it meant that Arya and Gendry were together often and what that meant for their lives. She remembered telling Arya how lucky she was to marry a man for love and that she was stupid to try and throw that away. She remembered how to this day Gendry would try and make himself invisible whenever possible, and unless she told him to, he wouldn't come and see any of the Lords from other houses. She remembered talking to him about the rumors with Arya and how quickly he accepted the burden because they both knew, on some level, that people already hated him and that it couldn't get much worse. Sansa supposed she didn't think about the fact that her own relationship could be seen in a similar light.

They were about halfway to the coast when suddenly Sansa heard yelling. She looked out the window of the carriage, and she could see the guards running around. Arya was yelling at people to get their weapons ready, and Sansa could feel Theon tense up next to her. Sansa had a dagger hidden in a slit in her dress, and Theon had a crossbow in the carriage with them.

"Get down," Theon said, and they both crouched down from the window to hide. It was difficult for Theon to move, but he managed to put himself between the door of the carriage and Sansa. His hands were steady as he knocked the arrow and pointed it at the door. She could hear fighting outside, and Sansa prayed that she wasn't going to lose Arya or Gendry. She didn't know if one of them could survive without the other, and she didn't want to bury anymore family. The door opened, and a man that looked like a bandit was standing there. Theon fired and hit the man in the neck. He stumbled back in a spray of blood, and she thought he would close the door.

Instead, Theon managed to climb out of the carriage despite Sansa grabbing his arm to try and stop him. Theon could fight, Sansa knew this, but this was different. She wanted him safe, and the look in his eye right now worried her. He looked like a man about to throw himself on his sword. She scrambled out of the carriage and tried to take Theon by the arm, but he pushed her away and fired his crossbow at another bandit. He didn't have a lot of arrows, and before long, they were all gone. Another bandit approached them, grinning with a sword in his hand, and Theon took a step forward like he was going to fight the man without a weapon. Sansa knew, at this moment, that she was going to lose him.

A knife appeared in the bandit's chest out of nowhere, and they both turned to see Arya staring at them.

"Get back in the carriage, both of you, now," she said, and it was a harsh reminder of just how deadly her little sister was. Theon blinked, and Sansa was able to drag him back to the carriage. It looked like most of the bandits were dead, but they stayed low on the ground, and Sansa used his cane to lock the door.

"What were you thinking?" she snapped. "I know you want to protect me, but this wasn't the time or the place. Were you going to try and fight that man without a weapon? Get yourself killed?"

"I just want to be someone worthy of you," Theon replied, and he winced like he knew that was a wrong answer. Sansa threw her arms around him and held on tight.

"I don't care what anyone says. You're the one I want and the one I choose, and no one is going to change that," she whispered. "You're worthy of me the same way I'm worthy of you. Please, don't make me bury someone else I love." It took far too long for Theon to hug her back, but when he did, it felt like he was holding onto her like a lifeline. Sansa closed her eyes and buried her face in his neck as she tried to rid the image of that bandit from her mind. They were still holding each other when Gendry knocked on the door of the carriage and told them that it was safe to come out.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Arya didn't like that several of the bandits managed to escape. She wanted to jump on her horse and ride after them because they nearly hurt the people she cares about, but Gendry gave her a look that stopped her. Both Sansa and Theon were unhurt, but there was something between them that Arya didn't quite understand just yet. They were still half a day from the next village, but they decided it was best to ride through the night. They couldn't risk the bandits coming back and getting a lucky shot on someone. They were fortunate that no one was seriously injured or killed. They left the bodies on the ground, and while Arya hadn't seen them, she knew that Nymeria's pack was nearby. They would want fresh meat.

She rode next to Gendry as they headed toward the shoreline, but Arya kept looking over her shoulder at the carriage. She wanted to ask what was going on with Theon and Sansa but now didn't seem like the right time. They had to focus, and it was the lack of focus that made them vulnerable to an attack. It was so unfocused that Gendry reaching over to take and squeeze her hand made Arya jump. She smiled at him, and they continued down the roads until they got to the village where they might be safe. There was an inn at least and somewhere they could rest if they got there at a decent hour.

The rest of the trip was uneventful, which was what Arya wanted. She still wanted to run away and chase those bandits down, but she stopped herself. She couldn't stop thinking about them and how they didn't look like what she expected. They were a day away from the port, setting up their final campsite, and Arya was deep in thought as she rested in her tent. Gendry finally joined her, and she was glad to be in his arms.

"Those bandits. There was something about them that I didn't like," Arya said.

"They looked like bandits to me," Gendry said with a shrug. "Bandits that we've been fighting for many, many years, they weren't even that much more talented than the guys that were running around the Westerlands." Arya frowned as she tried to put together the thing that was bothering her, and it finally hit her.

"Yes, they did look like bandits we've seen before," Arya said. "Bandits that live in the North should look like the Free Folk. Instead, those men looked like someone we would have fought in the Riverlands or the south. I don't think they were Northern bandits; I think they managed to cross our border from the Riverlands to the North."

"The border is open, but you are supposed to go through at checkpoints," Gendry said, and she nodded. "So you think they snuck across for some reason."

"It also means that they probably ran back to the Riverlands as soon as they realized that they weren't going to win," Arya said. "If Jon sends his people out, I don't think they're going to find them. If they were willing to attack a royal group, there's no telling what they are going to do to the smallfolk or any of the smaller villages close to the border. Edmure likely isn't paying attention to the villages that are the furthest north from him."

"Jon isn't going to let us go on a trip to the Riverlands," Gendry said. "Not after we were just gone to go on a visit to the Iron Isles."

"So we'll go ourselves," Arya said with a shrug. "We can get in and out within two days. We'll just say that we're going on a camping trip to get away and decompress after the Iron Isles, which I know Jon will accept." She moved, so she was straddling Gendry's waist and looked down at him with a smirk. "You're not going to let me go deal with those bandits all by myself, are you?"

"You're an evil woman, and I don't know why I love you," Gendry replied. Arya squealed a little when he suddenly flipped them over and pinned down on their bedroll. She wanted him, but they would have a bed and room on the ship tomorrow, and Arya wanted some privacy. Instead, she kissed him, and they spent the night wrapped in each other's arms. She was looking forward to getting home so they could go south, and she could get a little revenge for the frightened look that the bandits left on Sansa and Theon's faces.

+++

The port was tiny, so they would have to take small rowboats out to the ship that was waiting further out to sea. Arya was able to send the raven that she knew Jon was going to lose his mind over, but it needed to be said. Theon and Sansa were holding each other's hands as they looked out to the ship in the water. Arya knew that Theon hadn't been on a boat since he lost his leg, and no one really knew how he was going to react to the waves. They stumbled to try and get Theon into the ship, but Gendry stepped in, silently, and helped. Arya could tell that drawing attention to it to the Ironborn that were nearby would be a bad thing. They knew that their prince was hurt, but it was apparent none of them were expecting this.

They left their horses in the tiny stable with enough coin to keep the woman who owned it happy until they got back. The guards all climbed in as well, and before long, they were on their way to the ship. The waves were harsh, and on more than one occasion, Arya thought their entire ship was about to get overthrown. The water was also cold, and Gendry started shivering almost right away. She put an arm around his shoulders and held onto him, but it didn't seem to help much. They were all cold, uncomfortable, and damp by the time they got to the ship. There was a ladder going up, but it became pretty clear that Theon could climb it. The sailors were quick to make a small bench that they could pull him up on. They lowered the seat again for Sansa, and she gladly accepted it. Arya climbed up herself but accepted the hand of an Ironborn sailor as he helped her up.

The ship was bigger than anything they crossed the sunset sea for and even bigger than the ship they took to Lyse to get Edric. This was a ship made for long crossings and rough water. It was fascinating, and Arya wanted to see every inch of it as fast as she could. The captain, a man named Bruno, looked a little puzzled by her questions but humored her.

"Prince Theon," Bruno said. "We are thrilled that you are finally coming home and bringing your beautiful bride with you."

"Visiting," Theon said with a small smile, and he nearly lost his balance as the ship began to move. Sansa tightened her grip on his arm and held on tightly. "We're coming for a visit I'm afraid, Captain, but thank you. I haven't seen the Iron Isles in a long time, and I look forward to it."

"Your home is happy to see you are coming back again," Bruno said, and Arya could see that there was something about that statement that bothered Theon. She had talked to him before about how he felt about the North and Winterfell. That even though it was a place that made him nervous, that he lived in fear for so many years, he didn't resent it. Theon said that the North and Winterfell were his home, not the Iron Isles, but debating that was probably not the best idea. Bruno turned to Gendry and grinned. "You the blacksmith? The one who made a new crown for our Queen?"

"I didn't have anything to draw inspiration from, but Prince Theon helped me with the details and the design," Gendry said. "I hope it's to Queen Yara's and all your liking." Bruno laughed and slapped Gendry on the back hard enough that Arya saw him wince.

"I heard you were a lowborn bastard, but you sound just like the rest of them," Bruno said, and Arya had no idea if they were just insulted or not. "Princesses, it's lovely to meet you both. My Queen speaks highly of you both. She says Princess Sansa is one of the best politicians she's ever met, and Princess Arya could beat any of us in combat. The Ironborn are looking forward to the Northern Princesses seeing our home and bringing back great tales of it."

"I'm looking forward to seeing the place that gave me my betrothed," Sansa said with that smile she used when she was trying not to bear her teeth at someone she didn't like. The ship rocked again, and Theon nearly stumbled. All of the Ironborn were looking at him every time that it happened, and Arya didn't like it.

"That's all true," Arya said, and she smiled with plenty of teeth. "Theon is like a brother to me, so I would do anything to keep him safe. I'm looking forward to seeing your home." All of the men on the ship blinked as they processed her not so subtle threat. Gendry was smirking, Sansa stood a little taller, and Theon was staring like he didn't quite believe that she declared that.

"I believe the journey has left me rather tired," Sansa said after a beat of silence from everyone. "Prince Theon and I will retire to our chambers." Bruno looked like he wanted to argue about Sansa and Theon sharing a room, but everyone involved save for Theon glared at him. The captain wisely closed his mouth and let everyone do as they pleased.

Arya enjoyed walking around the ship and looked out to the west. The horizon looked like it went on for forever, but she wondered what was beyond it. What lay beyond that horizon and was there more of the world that they hadn't explored before. When she was little, Arya thought about being an explorer. She thought about going out into the world and discovering something new. Now, she was a princess married to a knight, and she had duties. She had things that needed to be done and responsibilities she couldn't turn her back on. Gendry walked over and joined her as they looked out.

"I wonder what's out there," Arya said.

"We could ask Yara. If anyone would know it would be the Queen of the Iron Isles," Gendry said. "If she doesn't know, maybe she knows somewhere or someone who could tell us."

"Maybe," Arya said, and she watched the ocean. There weren't any monsters lurking beneath, and no pirates would try to attack a fully armed Ironborn ship. The sun went down, and the sky looked more massive than anything she had ever seen before. Arya could have spent the night out under the stars to watch them, but Gendry took her arm and dragged her to their chambers. They were both still tired and cold. Bruno gave them some dinner, and Arya fell asleep in Gendry's arms. The rocking of the ship put her to sleep, and while it wasn't exactly comforting, it didn't keep her awake either. She liked sailing, and maybe in another life, she got the chance to go and do some more exploring. That wasn't her life now, but Arya was still content.

+++

Sansa didn't like the way the Ironborn looked at Theon as they continued their journey. He would stumble, and she would be there to help him walk, but they were always looking at him oddly like they didn't know what to do with him. He was their prince, and he was a prince that was essentially lost to them for many years. Theon was a hero that helped save their Queen and fought in the battle against the dead. Sansa thought they would have more respect but, instead, it was like they didn't trust him. She didn't trust them either, and she stayed close for a reason.

The Iron Isles took about a sennight to get to, and when a man cried out that land was approaching, Arya rushed to the side of the ship. Sansa didn't know what she was expecting, but there didn't appear to be a lot with the Iron Isles or the city of Lordsport on the island of Pyke where they were landing. The castle seemed to be built into the high rocks of the island, and bridges were connecting one piece of the castle to another. Sansa could see Theon tense up as he looked at the islands. It was another reminder that while Winterfell and the North were home to her, they weren't home to him.

The ship docked, and they all walked. Sansa could feel that Theon was still unsteady on his feet, and she remained close to him. Yara was waiting for them on the dock, and she grinned as she walked over and slapped Theon on the back somewhat hard.

"My brother has finally come home," she said. Sansa took a step away and let Theon clasp hands with Yara, and they leaned forward, so their foreheads were touching. It was a sweet gesture and one that she had seen the Greyjoy siblings do the last time Yara came to visit Winterfell. "And you managed to convince Sansa to marry you. I can't believe it."

"You should hear the story of how they got engaged," Arya said with a smirk, and Sansa tried her best not to blush. "You're involved."

"Am I now?" Yara said, and she smiled. "Very well, let's go. We're going to have a feast tonight so Gendry can present me with my new crown. I hope you didn't leave it alone with those thieving bastards that you sailed with." Bruno yelled out something that sounded like a swear word that Sansa hadn't even heard of, and Yara laughed. She guided them to a small carriage and a group of horses. Theon helped her into the carriage, and then Sansa helped him. The road was rough, and she took his hand into hers as they traveled.

"So Yara, what can I do while I'm visiting?" Arya asked. "I want to see all the Iron Isles have to offer."

"This is it," Theon muttered. "If your sister wanted adventure, I would have told her to stay home. There isn't anything to see around here." Sansa was about to say that there had to be something for them to do when Yara laughed.

"Oh, dear girl, there isn't anything to see around here," Yara replied. "You've seen all there is to see. Nothing but a bunch of ports and small fishing villages. We don't have much out here to see." Theon raised an eyebrow, and Sansa buried her face in his neck to hide her shaking laughter.

It was evening by the time they got to Pyke Castle, and everyone got settled into their rooms. Sansa was a little warm in her Northern clothes but changed into something rather simple but elegant. She was braiding her hair when Theon limped into the room in an outfit with his house's crest on the front. Sansa smiled as she stood up and touched the Kraken sewed into the front.

"I don't know about this," Theon said, and Sansa leaned forward to kiss his cheek.

"We're going to be fine," Sansa reassured. She finished braiding her hair, and they walked to the great hall together. Arya and Gendry were waiting for them, and Gendry had the box in his hand, which must contain Yara's new crown. Sansa hadn't seen it before, but she could only assume it was beautiful. Everything that Gendry seemed to make was beautiful.

The doors to the hall opened, and Sansa walked through with her head held high like the princess that she was. Theon did his best to hide his limp, but that also meant he was leaning on her a bit more than usual. He hadn't brought his cane for reasons that Sansa more or less understood. Strength was essential to the Ironborn and needing a cane did not project strength.

"My people!" Yara said. She was wearing a crown that looked like it was made of wood on her head that didn't look regal or comfortable. Sansa understood why she commissioned a new one; she couldn't imagine something like that lasting very long. "May I present my brother, Prince Theon Greyjoy and his betrothed, Princess Sansa Stark of Winterfell!" The people around them cheered as they walked across the great hall to the front. They turned, and both bowed to the best of their abilities. Yara nodded, and they made their way over to their seats. "May I also present Princess Arya Stark and her husband Ser Gendry Stark, the man who has crafted a new crown for the new age of the Iron Isles!" Arya and Gendry both walked out, they bowed together, and Arya went to take her seat while Gendry stayed.

The last time he did this, Arya told her that he didn't have an audience. Now he had all of the Iron Isles watching him as Yara rose from her seat and walked around to him.

"Queen Yara, I would like to present you with this crown crafted from my own hands," Gendry said. He set the box down and removed the crown. It shimmered in the candlelight, and it looked like it was made from pure silver. Sansa didn't know what he added to the metal to make it shine like that, but it was beautiful. It looked similar to the driftwood crown that Yara was already wearing, but it was styled and fit for a Queen. Yara grinned as she looked at the crown in Gendry's hands.

"Remarkable, it even looks like driftwood cast in silver," she said.

"Your brother was involved with making sure that I got the design right, so he must get some of the credit for that," Gendry said. Yara glanced over her shoulder and smiled at Theon. It was a small smile, but Sansa knew the private smiles that the Greyjoy's shared when they were really trying to communicate with each other without words. Theon nodded, and Yara turned back to Gendry. She handed her driftwood crown off to one of her advisors, and she knelt down in front of Gendry.

Arya spoke about how surreal it was to see a man that looked like Robert Baratheon crown, a kneeling woman who could not look more like a Targaryen. Sansa imagined that this was a similar feeling as seeing the son of Robert Baratheon crowned the daughter of Balon Greyjoy. Yara stood and looked more like a Queen than she ever had in Sansa's presence before. She took Gendry's hand and squeezed it tightly.

"Thank you," she said just loud enough that the people at the head table could hear. "Thank you for giving me something that is mine."

"It was my honor," Gendry replied. The feast began, and Sansa smiled as she watched Theon and Yara talk quietly to one another as the night went on. While the Iron Isles weren't home to Theon anymore, Yara was still family.

+++

It turned out that Yara was very much, not kidding when she said there wasn't much to do on the Iron Isles, but Sansa was thankful that she was aware of it. That is why Sansa was glad when Yara told them that they didn't need to stay longer than a few days, which meant this trip that she initially thought was going to be several moons was probably going to be a moon or so. Sansa didn't mind Yara taking her and Theon around to show them off; their Alliance was important, and Yara seemed legitimately happy that her brother was happy. Theon, however, was not taking it as well. It was much more traveling and walking than he was used to, and by the end of the third day, he was in considerable pain. Sansa helped him soak in a hot bath and rubbed his shoulders before they went down for dinner. They were leaving the next day, and she was happy to go home.

Arya and Gendry found various ways to keep themselves occupied. Arya let some of the Ironborn teach them their fighting style so she could see if there was anything useful. As for Gendry, Sansa was not at all surprised to find him chatting with Iron Isles blacksmiths about weapons and metal because, of course, he was. Sansa loved her good brother; so many people assumed that Gendry was a simple man, but he had his interests, and he studied them diligently. If anyone could figure out how to reforge Valyrian Steel, it would be him.

Theon needed his cane as they went down to dinner that night, and Sansa could feel all eyes on them. She ignored it to the best of her ability, but Theon seemed to shrink under their stares. Arya and Gendry were up in their rooms already asleep after a day of going around Pyke to see all of the sights that they could. The meal was going well, and Sansa felt like she might be able to let her guard down when someone turned to them.

"So when are you coming back for the wedding? And coming home with your beautiful bride for good?" someone asked, and Sansa blinked. She had always assumed they would get married in Winterfell and didn't even ask if Theon would want to get married on the Iron Isles.

"Oh, no, we won't be getting married here," Theon said. "Sansa is Hand to the King in the North so she couldn't leave. We'll be getting married in Winterfell, and I'll be staying there." The room went oddly silent, and Sansa narrowed her eyes as she watched all of the men stare at them.

"You're our prince," another man said. "You and your bride belong here." Sansa reached over and took Theon's hand into hers, and she could feel him trembling already.

"Theon and I have decided to remain at Winterfell for as long as my duties require me to be there," Sansa said as she stared these men down. "Perhaps when the next generation of Stark's take the crown, and I am no longer needed as Hand, we could look into spending more time here." That wasn't what she wanted, but it was a sacrifice she would make to keep Theon happy. However, that mere suggestion made him pale a little.

"The boy thinks he's one of the wolves," a drunk man slurred, and Yara stood. "He doesn't think he's one of us anymore, so maybe we don't need a prince anymore." Some other men muttered their agreement, and Yara snarled.

"My brother is the son of Balon Greyjoy and your prince," she snapped, and Sansa could feel Theon's tension coming off of him in waves. They needed to get out of here. "He is Ironborn no matter where he rests his head."

"Maybe we don't want a prince that hides in the snow," a man said, and the agreements got louder.

"Then the North will claim him as one of their own," Sansa snapped, and she bared her teeth at all of them. She was the Red Wolf, and she would not stand for these drunk men insulting the man she loved like this. "If the Ironborn are so callous to throw their brave and selfless prince away, then the North will claim from now on." Sansa stood and helped Theon to his feet. "Queen Yara, if you will excuse me, we have an early day tomorrow, and we should get some rest."

"Of course," Yara said, and she turned her fearsome glare on the men in the room. "It appears I have some issues to deal with on my own." Sansa didn't wait to see what would happen. She got Theon out of the room and up to their chambers as fast as she could. He was having trouble catching a breath by the time she closed and latched the door. Theon collapsed onto the bed and buried his face in his hands. Sansa knelt in front of him and waited until he looked up and could see her sitting there.

"They're right," he said after a long time, and his shaking had stopped, and his breathing had evened out. "I'm not a Kraken anymore. I couldn't even stand on the ship, and what kind of Ironborn can't even walk on a ship?"

"Maybe you aren't Ironborn anymore," Sansa whispered, and she reached forward to touch his cheek when he looked up at her. "But you are a wolf, a warrior of the North, and mine. Tomorrow we're going home, our home, and if we never return here? Then we never return here. We have our home, and it's in Winterfell, together." Theon stared at her for a moment, and Sansa was unsure if he heard a word she said. Then he all but fell forward and into her arms. They stumbled a bit to get to their feet a crawl into bed together. This time, Sansa wrapped her arms around Theon and held him through the night, and closed her eyes.

Those men downstairs should have counted themselves lucky she was unarmed.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Arya liked to think she was pretty good at reading people. After so many years of being out on her own with only Gendry at her side, and how he would refuse to talk when they were first together, she had to learn quickly the things people were saying without words. That was how she knew something was wrong when she went down to break her fast in the morning with Gendry, and the hall was completely empty. There were a few servants around, but they were nervous, and they wouldn't make eye contact with her. Arya glanced at Gendry, who shrugged; they had gone to bed early, so something must have happened the night before. Sansa and Theon were nowhere to be seen, and Arya wondered if they were okay. She was about to go check when Yara walked in the door.

Yara usually looked fairly serious, but right now, she looked damned near murderous, which was pretty frightening. She wore the crown that Gendry made her, and she was walking around like she was about to declare war on someone. Arya very much hoped that the someone in question was not the North.

"Arya, Gendry, lovely to see you two this morning," Yara said, and Arya could see that there was some dried blood underneath her fingernails. "I want you to know that the ship is ready, and I have asked my cousin Asha and her crew to carry you back to the North."

"Why a different crew?" Arya asked.

"I want people I can trust," Yara said with the implication that there were people that she didn't trust.

"What happened?" Gendry asked, and Arya loved her husband. The high born thing to do would be to spend the next half hour dancing around what happened and getting to the point where no one asks, but someone tells anyway. Gendry didn't care about that sort of thing and decided it was best just to ask, and Arya loved that he didn't really care. Yara blinked, and she lost some of her composure.

"Some of my men were exceptionally rude to Theon last night, and your sister reminded everyone why she has the nickname the Red Wolf," Yara replied. "They claimed that Theon was not of the Iron Isles anymore, so Sansa said that the North would gladly take him if the Iron Isles were so quick to throw away their prince." Yara sighed and looked at her hands; it wasn't just blood under her nails, but now Arya could see some cuts and bruises. "I had to remind them that they will not talk about my brother like that. I have some dissenters amongst the ranks, and I didn't want to risk any of your lives. Asha is a woman I trust above all else, and she had a loyal crew. They will make sure you're all safe."

"And Sansa? And Theon? Are they safe?" Arya asked, and Yara smiled sadly.

"I fear I may have set my brother back some steps in his recovery, and, for that, I don't think Sansa will ever forgive me. I just hope that when the two of them get married, I'll get a raven with a date so I can see my brother get married."

"Sansa holds grudges, but not inviting you would be seen as a political slight and, if nothing else, that will be the reason you'll get an invite," Arya replied.

"If that's what it takes," Yara said. The three of them had just sat down to eat when Sansa and Theon entered the room. Sansa looked angry, and Arya could see why everyone was whispering about the Red Wolf. Her big sister looked like she was ready to tear throats out with her teeth. Yara explained what ship they were going to be on and offered to escort them back down to town so they could leave immediately. Theon didn't make eye contact with anyone, and he was leaning heavily on his cane as they made their way to the horses. Arya wanted to ask Sansa if she was okay, but Sansa didn't look like she wanted to talk to anyone.

The ride back down to the ship was a quiet one with no one saying a word to each other. Arya glanced at Gendry, who shrugged a little. Arya wanted to see that her sister and good brother were okay, but now wasn't the time to do that. Yara and her Queensguard personally escorted them to a ship where a woman who was clearly of the Greyjoy blood was waiting for them. Asha had curly red hair like Theon, but it was a little lighter and blonder, no doubt from all of the time she spent on ships. She smiled, and while it wasn't as cutthroat as Yara, it was clear that there was a reason she was a woman leading a ship.

"Yara, I was wondering if you could come down and see me yourself," Asha said, and the two women embraced.

"I don't trust anyone else with such precious cargo," Yara replied, which was probably the sweetest thing that Arya had ever heard Yara say. Sansa and Theon climbed out of the carriage, and Yara introduced all three of them. Theon blinked and looked a little confused, and Arya had a feeling this was a cousin he hadn't met before. "Asha was exploring the west when the war was going on. She only just got back a month or two ago. She's our cousin and a great woman. You can trust her."

"It's nice to meet you," Sansa said, and Theon nodded silently. He stayed behind a little, and Arya walked away so the two siblings could have a moment alone. Sansa went below deck, and Gendry went to look around a new ship, but Arya stuck close to Asha.

"You went west?" Arya asked.

"Fairly far west too," Asha said. "Didn't fall off the world or anything like that. We just kept going and going. It was an endless horizon, but the waters were treacherous, and I think there are some things in the ocean we don't want to ever meet."

"You think the ocean just goes forever?" Arya asked.

"No," Asha replied definitively. "I came back, and we went very far. There is something out there, but I'm not sure we know what it is yet." Asha crossed her arms as she looked west out to the sea. "I have a feeling. I have a feeling that we're missing something about that horizon, and we're so close to figuring it out. Once we do, my girl, the possibilities will be endless. Once I get Yara's permission, I'm going back out there, and I'm not turning around until I'm dead, or I find what's out there."

"That sounds like quite the adventure," Arya said, and she tried to keep her voice even. It sounded like the trip of a lifetime, and she was jealous that Asha could go out there and explore.

"Yara speaks highly of you and Gendry; we could use people like you on my ship when I go; maybe you should consider it," Asha suggested, and every bone in Arya's body wanted to say yes, but it wasn't possible; it just wasn't.

"I'm afraid we have duties," Arya said, and Asha hummed like she understood. Arya looked over and watched Yara help her brother onto the ship. She smiled and stayed on the dock until the Iron Isles faded from sight.

+++

The trip back to the North was good, and Arya got along with Asha exceptionally well. The more she talked about her adventures, the more she wanted to take her up on the offer to go west. She didn't tell anyone about the proposal, though, because she knew how it would go over. Gendry would get this sad look like he was somehow holding her back from the things she wanted to do by being married to him. Apparently, Arya wanting Gendry with her on these adventures didn't count. Sansa would get the same look that her mother would get whenever she caught Arya practicing with weapons or getting dirty; it wasn't that Sansa didn't support her. It was more like that Sansa understood better than anyone the duty they all needed to do. Theon would probably turn pale and then tell her about all of the terrible things that could happen at sea as a way to dissuade her. So Arya listened to Asha's stories and kept the offer to herself.

They arrived back at the North and thanked Asha and her crew for treating them so well. The moment Sansa set foot on land, she looked a little less tense, and Arya could hear her talking with Theon in the carriage as they started back to Winterfell. Arya just hoped that they could get home without having to worry about bandits this time. A nice, relaxing trip back to Winterfell after all of the drama on the Iron Isles was what she wanted.

That night, Theon went to bed early, but Sansa stayed up and stared at the fire. Arya glanced at Gendry, who read her easily. He got up and whispered to the guards who gave them a little space to talk privately.

"Yara told me what happened," Arya said.

"I couldn't believe what they said," Sansa snapped. "I tried to tell them that we could spend more time on the Iron Isles later in our marriage after I'm no longer Hand to the King, but they ignored me. They acted like Theon wasn't even one of them, and it broke his heart, I know it did, and I hate them all for doing that to him."

"Judging by the blood under Yara's fingernails, she absolutely taught them a lesson or two," Arya said, and Sansa chuckled softly.

"I can't forgive those people for what they said to him," Sansa whispered. "All Theon has ever wanted was a place to belong, and those people tried to take it away from him again. I hate them for it; I hate them for it so much."

"You're giving him a place to belong," Arya replied. "Gendry was the same way. We found out lost men, and we made them pack. Now we have to protect them like the wolves we are." Sansa nodded, and the two of them sat in silence for a long time. Eventually, Sansa stood up and walked into the tent she was sharing with Theon. Arya joined Gendry and held onto him as he slept peacefully.

+++

Arya was ready to be home when the guards announced that someone was coming from over the ridge. She both hoped it was and wasn't the bandits again because she wanted revenge, but she didn't want her sister or Theon to see her getting it. That was something that only Gendry could see and still accept her for. However, the group coming toward them didn't rush, and Arya narrowed her eyes. There was some familiar red hair shining in the afternoon sun, and the person was waving like they were excited to them.

"Lower your weapons," Sansa said as she climbed out of the carriage. "That's Tormund and a group of the Free Folk. There isn't a soul there that would ever hurt us." The guards lowered their weapons as the group began to approach. Tormund grinned when he saw them, and despite how regal she looked in her Northern furs and grey dress Tormund still wrapped Sansa into a bone-crushing hug and lifted her clear off of her feet. Arya wasn't surprised when Tormund turned and did the same to her. He laughed as he smacked Gendry on the back hard enough that he stumbled and shook Theon's hand so tightly that Arya saw Theon shaking it out when it was over.

"I thought I saw some wolves and where there are wandering wolves there are Stark's," Tormunf said as he looked them all over. "What are the group of you doing out here?"

"We were on a trip to the Iron Isles, and now we're going home," Sansa replied, and Tormund grinned.

"Aye, lovely to hear, we're on our way there too. I got something I need to talk to the crow about," Tormund said, and Arya frowned. There was something about that statement she didn't like.

"What is it?" Arya asked.

"Oh, a large clan of the Free Folk has crossed over the remains of the Wall, and they are looking for a place to settle down. I wanted to tell your brother about it, so he knew that more of us were going to be in the North than we initially thought," Tormund explained, which made Sansa stand up a little taller.

"A new clan?" she asked. "Does this clan have a leader?"

"Aye and she is looking to unite all of the clans Red Wolf," Tormund replied. "It'll be good to be a large group again, and we are looking forward to it." Something was going through Sansa's head, but Arya had no idea what it was.

"Why don't you travel with us, Tormund," Gendry said. "We'll get back to Winterfell by the end of the day."

"Sounds like a plan blacksmith," Tormund said as they all began to climb onto their horses and make for Winterfell. Arya could hear Tormund asking Gendry about any new weapons that he was working on, but she wasn't listening. Something about this exchange was really bothering Sansa, and they needed to get back to Winterfell as soon as possible.

+++

They arrived back in Winterfell, and Jon looked surprised to see Tormund and a group of the Free Folk with them. He hugged all of them until Tormund practically tackled Jon into a hug and held on tight. Meera and Bran were there, and Meera's stomach didn't look quite as flat anymore. Nymeria was stuck to Meera's side and would not leave, but Arya wasn't surprised. Nymeria was protecting the new Stark pup, and that was all that mattered.

They were all tired from traveling, and Jon said something about waiting until the next morning to talk, but Sansa insisted that they do this now. Tormund got the rest of his group settled for the night and followed everyone up to Jon's solar, where they could talk in private. Sansa ordered drinks for everyone while Tormund and Jon caught up with each other. By the time the drinks arrived, Arya was done with small talk and wanted to know why Sansa insisted that this meeting happen tonight.

"So Sansa says we need to talk about what brought you here," Jon said.

"Oh, yes, I wanted to tell you that another clan of the Free Folk is coming south of what used to be the Wall to settle here. Their leader, a woman named Val, is looking to unite us so that we can all work together. You told me to tell you if there are any changes with the Free Folk, so I'm telling you," Tormund said with a shrug and a grin. So whatever Sansa thought about this, it was clear that Tormund didn't think it was a big deal either. Jon smiled and nodded, but Arya could see something was unsettling her brother a little.

"You just let me know if any of the castles give you any trouble," Jon said.

"Tormund, I need to speak with my brothers, can you excuse us? We can break our fast together in the morning," Sansa said. Tormund's smile faded a little, and he could tell, the same way that Arya could, that Sansa was telling him to leave and not asking. He nodded and walked out of the room.

"Sansa, that was rude, what's going on?" Jon asked.

"She is worried about the Free Folk," Bran said.

"They aren't going to start raiding anyone. It's just a bigger group," Gendry said.

"A bigger group under one leader," Sansa said. "Jon, between the various wars, entire House's were lost, and we don't have much to protect us if the worst should happen. We need allies, and to do that, we need warriors."

"The Free Folk aren't part of the North, though," Meera said.

"And they won't want to be," Arya said.

"We need allies," Sansa explained. "The Free Folk need to become official allies of the North, and to do that, we need to meet with this Val. If we don't, the other House's might start to see them as foreign invaders and start attacking."

"If the Free Folk retaliate, the House's will call for open war," Theon said as he seemed to understand where Sansa was going with this. Arya realized that her sister was right; that many Free Folk operating under one singular leader would likely have one of the biggest armies in the North.

"Tormund wouldn't allow war," Jon said, but he hesitated. "I've lived among these people, Sansa, and they won't want to align themselves with us."

"Not even for their own protection?" Arya said. "That is a big motivator. It's warmer here, and it's easier to hunt. The people with Tormund are doing well judging by the last raven he sent. More of them are going to want to move south. There are going to be people unhappy about that."

"Those that remember the raids," Jon whispered. "And those that remember what happened with the battles at Castle Black." Jon rubbed his temples and leaned back in his chair. He suddenly looked much older and so much like their father that Arya briefly lost her words. The concept of safety was the thing that they could use to appeal to this Val for a formal alliance, but they all knew there was really only one way for an alliance like this to be cemented. There was really only one way to bring the Free Folk formally into the North in a way that couldn't be disputed by the other houses. It was a traditional way of forming an alliance and one that anyone who was raised in a noble house knew it far too well.

"Will you ask Tormund to bring her to a meeting?" Sansa asked, but they all knew the question that she was really asking.

"Yes," Jon said, and he sighed. "I suppose it was only a matter of time before this happened, but this is a thing that is going to make the lesser House's very unhappy with me. I'm a King, and I promised all of you that I would let you all marry for love. It's time for me to do what any King has to do; it's time to talk about a political marriage to help cement an alliance.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

It was mutually decided among all of them that no one would tell Tormund or Val that they were thinking of forming a marriage alliance. It seemed like an excellent way to make everyone angry, and Jon explained that marriage is very different with the Free Folk. He was going to have to do some quick talking to get her to even listen to his proposal, and Arya didn't envy him for that. After everyone else had left, Arya stayed behind because she wanted to talk to her big brother. After all, this was the sort of inevitable thing that they all knew they were going to have to deal with someday. That didn't mean he was any more prepared for it.

"Do you need something?" Jon asked, which broke Arya's heart a little that her brother thought she would only come to him if she needed something.

"No, I don't need anything, I want to know how you're handling all of this," Arya said as she sat down next to him. "You just found out that you're going to be part of a marriage alliance, and I can't even imagine how that must feel."

"I feel okay with this," Jon said, and she shot him a look like she didn't believe him. "I do. Look, I still love Ygritte, and I think I always will, but I can't hold back because of her. I knew what I was doing when I let you, Sansa, and Bran marry for love. I knew what I was giving up and what I was holding onto."

"What do you mean?" Arya asked.

"Well, Bran and Meera are a good choice regardless of the fact that they are in love," Jon explained. "The Reed's have always been loyal to us so she could have been someone Bran married before everything went to hell. Bran is the last of Ned Stark's sons, of course, he's going to stay in Winterfell. He's my heir, so it keeps both of them close. Sansa and Theon are also a good match. He's a prince, and their relationship connects us to the Iron Isles through marriage. However, Sansa is also my Hand, and Theon has no real desire to stay on the Iron Isles, so it keeps them home as well. And you and Gendry, well, your match isn't as advantageous, but he's the cousin of the Queen, and him only being a knight keeps you home as well." Jon smiled and sat back in the chair. "I'm a selfish man who wanted his little sisters and brother home and close and safe, and you all just happened to pick people that would let me do that. I knew that I would have to marry a woman I didn't love someday for an Alliance, that's what a King does, so while I'm sacrificing my choice to marry for love, I'm gaining my family being close. I get to keep all of you for many years, and that is worth a marriage that I didn't choose out of love."

Arya didn't know what to say to all of that; it wasn't uncommon for nobles to marry out of duty instead of love, but Arya never realized that Jon was making these little political moves that would keep all of them close. All Arya ever wanted was to stay in Winterfell with her family, and now her brother was not only giving her the chance to do so but Sansa and Bran as well.

"I knew if I tried to do anything rash, I'd lose one of you," Jon whispered, and Arya blinked. "If I tried to turn Gendry away, you'd have either refused to come home at all, or you would have resented me for the rest of your life for sending him away. Sansa would have stood tall and accepted any marriage I chose for her, but she would have never agreed to be my Hand, and she would have drifted away from us, possibly forever. If I had sent Meera away, I don't know what version of Bran I would have right now, but it wouldn't be the one that smiles mischievously or look at his wife's stomach with wide eyes. I knew, I know what I'm giving up, and I'm more than fine with all of it. I promise you that, Arya. I'm going to be fine." The two of them sat in silence for a long time because she didn't know what she was supposed to say to something like that.

"Maybe you'll be like my mother and father," she said carefully. "Maybe you'll learn to love this Val the same way they learned to love each other."

"If I have one wish, it would be that," Jon said.

+++

The next morning Jon took Tormund aside and asked him if he would be willing to ask Val to come to Winterfell so they could meet. Tormund said that this would take a little time since Val was still making her way across the Wall and needed time to get all of the Free Folk under one leader. Jon told him that it was fine and that they would be waiting for the time when they would meet. Arya was glad that everything seemed to be slowing down a little until the middle of the day when someone said that riders were approaching the castle. They weren't expecting anyone, so she wasn't sure exactly what was going on, and judging by the way that Sansa walked outside with a deep frown on her face, she didn't either. A man rode up with two younger men on either side of them, and Arya recognized the signal as House Dustin. The three men climbed off of their horses and knelt down in front of Sansa.

"My Lord," Sansa said with that smile that hid all of her intentions, and that tended to set men at ease. "We did not know you were on your way. Did you send a raven to let us know that you would be coming?"

"I heard that you and your sister had returned from the Iron Isles and wanted to come and see you as soon as possible," Lord William Dustin replied, which was not an answer. "Allow me to introduce my two sons, Harlan and Ryon." The two men both nodded toward her, and they both appeared to be looking around the castle. Winterfell was something to see, but something about this visit made her nervous. It wasn't like a lesser house to show up out of nowhere like this unless there was an emergency.

"I see, and what is so important that you couldn't send a raven first?" Sansa asked, and now the disdain as evident in her voice.

"Your Grace, I just wanted to come and see my King as soon as possible to discuss simple things. I know that I must have sent a raven, but if one did not arrive, I'll be sure to punish the person who failed to send it," Lord Dustin said, and Arya narrowed her eyes from her place off to the side. That was a lie, but it was a stupid thing to lie about, so it made no sense that he would do something like that. This put them in the position of either turning away an ally or letting them in and setting the precedent that it could happen again.

"My lord, please send your correspondence personally from now on, so we don't have this issue again," Sansa said. The three men stood, and servants began to collect their horses and belongings. It looked like they had enough to stay a few days, which meant they very much left to stay in Winterfell and assume they would be welcome. Gendry was in the forge working on the Valyrian Steel that Tohbo Mott had sent him and wouldn't want to be disturbed. Meera and Bran were both resting, which meant that she needed to play the part of a princess. Arya walked up to the group and tried to smile. "My lords, this is my sister Princess Arya Stark. Arya, this is Lord Dustin and his sons Harlan and Ryon."

"Your Grace," the three men all echoed. The youngest son was looking at her strangely, but Arya knew that she wasn't what people were expecting when it came to being a princess. She wore nice leathers and furs, and her long cloaks were feminine, but she didn't look like Sansa, who was one crown away from looking like a queen.

"My lords, it's a pleasure to meet you, and welcome to Winterfell," Arya said. Something in Ryon, the younger son who looked about her age, face shifted, and he looked a little calmer. Arya still didn't trust him, she didn't trust any of this, but to say so could cause problems with a lesser house. So she had no choice but to join Sansa as she presented the three men to Jon. He welcomed them as well, but Arya knew that House Dustin was causing problems with them, and that was enough of a reason to be concerned about this sudden visit.

+++

Gendry saw that a lesser house was visiting and decided to make himself scarce. House Dustin, as Jon and Sansa had mentioned to him a few times, was one of the more vocal houses when it came to being unhappy that he had married Arya. So Gendry knew better than to hang around or even be seen. He would have to go back at some point for dinner, but he could make himself scarce until then. He had to run an errand in Winter Town, so he grabbed one of the horses and made his way down to the blacksmith in town. The man was old, but his hands were steady, and he always answered any questions that Gendry might have had. Winter Town was usually a place he didn't mind visiting, but as soon as he walked in, something seemed wrong.

He liked to think after so many years of running for his life Gendry knew when people intended him harm and feeling crawling up the back of his neck as he rode through town was like walking into a town he knew was loyal to the Lannister's when he was a younger man. Everyone was staring at him, and he didn't know what to make of any of it. He got to the forge for the blacksmith and found that he wasn't there, but one of his sons was. His son, a man named Ed, turned and glared at Gendry when he walked in.

"What do you want, ser?" Ed asked, but he was mocking and he spat the words out. Gendry had only met this man once or twice, and every time he had been cordial.

"I have a question for your father about a project I'm working on, is he around?" Gendry asked. Ed sneered and laughed bitterly.

"A project he says. No, ser, my father isn't around to help you with your little project. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have business of my own to attend to," Ed snapped, and he turned back to his work without a word. Gendry knew what it was like to have a bad day, so maybe that's what this was, but he still felt uneasy, and he didn't like the fact that he made this trek unarmed. He never thought he would need a weapon going to Winter Town, and he never had before, but today felt too different.

Gendry turned to leave and was met with a group of men stumbling toward him from the tavern. He could smell the liquor coming off of them before they even got close, and they were staring at him with murderous intent.

"Well, well, if it isn't the southern bastard," one of them said as he looked down at Gendry like he was worse than dirt. "The fuck do you want? Something else to ruin in the North?"

"Ruin? Sers, I don't know what's going on here--" Gendry started, but the men took a threatening step forward, and he shut his mouth.

"We know what you are, we know what you've done, and no one will ever forgive you for it," the man said, and Gendry could see a knife on his belt. The men here were all drunk, but he couldn't hit them, or it would just make this situation worse. A younger version of him was angry enough to throw a punch, but the older version of him was annoyed but resigned. He was used to people hating him behind his back, but this was the first time someone had ever been this forthright about it.

"And what have I done?" Gendry asked carefully. He knew that asking was probably not going to end well, but not knowing was not helping him.

"All of the North knows about you and that kitchen girl," the man said, and all his friends grumbled their agreements. "You stole our princess, and now you think you can fuck around on the side? No, we're not taking that. You're just like your whoreson father, but we won't let our princess be dishonored like that." The men all yelled in agreement, but Gendry was too busy being struck dumb by this accusation.

"Gentlemen, I assure you, I would never go behind Arya's back," Gendry said he held up his hands and slowly took a step back. His horse was behind him, and he knew that nothing he said was going to change this. These men were drunk, and they thought they were right, and this was going to end with blood being spilled if he didn't leave now. The men screamed that he was a liar, and Gendry ducked a punch and ran. He didn't have a weapon, and even if he did, he couldn't hurt the people that Jon, Sansa, and Arya tried so hard to protect, no matter how much they hated him.

Gendry managed to get his horse untied and had just pulled himself up when someone threw a rock. It hit him square in the forehead, and blood immediately spilled from the wound. Gendry managed to stay on his horse and rode out of town as the crowd of drunks all but chased him out. When he had enough space between himself and them, he put a hand to the gash on his forehead to stem the blood. The people of the North thought he had slept with some kitchen girl and the ones that only needed an excuse hated him even more now. Gendry took a deep breath and released it slowly; he knew Arya wouldn't believe it, and neither would the Stark's, but this was the excuse the lesser houses needed to make him a pariah.

+++

Arya was in the courtyard with her bow and arrow when she heard someone coming over to her. She thought it could be Brienne or maybe Gendry coming out of the forge, but when she turned around, she saw Ryon Dustin walking toward her. He put up his hands as if to surrender to her and showed off this boyish smile that she didn't quite understand why it was directed at her.

"Your Grace, may I join you?" Ryon asked.

"I suppose, and you can call me Arya if you'd like," she said, and for some reason, that made him smile. He picked up an extra bow and began to fire off a few arrows with her. He wasn't terrible, but he didn't have much in the way of skills either.

"Your skills are just as impressive as everyone says they are," Ryon said as Arya hit the middle of the target for the third time. "Maybe you can teach me how to fire an arrow someday?"

"I'm not sure how that is possible since you don't live here and it requires daily lessons," Arya replied which was probably a little rude, but there was something about this conversation and the way he was acting around her that was setting off all of the alarms in her head. All of this felt familiar, but she couldn't figure out why.

"I'm sure we could work something out," Ryon replied. "A great beauty and a great warrior as our princess is the thing that the North needs now more than ever. I'm so honored to be in your presence, and I hope that I can continue to be in the days that follow." Arya went to fire another arrow and but she missed the center of the target when it clicked in her head. She knew that tone of voice because she had seen it turned on noble ladies before. She knew when a man was trying to get on her good side, and this was a man trying to do precisely that.

"Lord Ryon, I would very much like to know why you're here attempting to court a married woman," Arya said, and the smile that Ryon had been wearing this entire time faltered. That was when she knew that she was right, and Ryon was here trying to court her like she was an unmarried woman when all of the North knew that she was with Gendry.

"I apologize, Your Grace, I thought the King would have sent the blacksmith back to the south when we all heard about the kitchen girl," Ryon said.

"The what," Arya said, and she did not make that a question but a statement.

"The kitchen girl," Ryon repeated. "All of the North is talking about how the bastard blacksmith knight is fucking the kitchen girl behind your back. I assumed the King knew and fed the bastard to the dragon or sent him packing to the south to be with the rest of his siblings. Are you saying you didn't know about the kitchen girl, Your Grace?"

"There is no kitchen girl," Arya said darkly because she knew Gendry, and he would sooner throw himself from the Broken Tower before he was unfaithful to her. The look that Ryon gave her like she was some stupid and naive woman, all but made Arya see red.

"Your Grace, we all know where he comes from, would you really be surprised considering his birth and his father?" Ryon asked.

"Ryon Dustin," Arya said a little louder with her hand on Needle on her hip. For the first time, the little Lord actually looked a little afraid, which was good. He needed to be considering what she was about to do. "You need to walk away immediately."

"I apologize, Your Grace," Ryon said as he began to back away. "I'm sorry that you had to find out this way." Arya was about to skewer him when he all but ran away. She dropped her bow and raced off to find the forge empty. She was about to ask a guard where Gendry was when he rode into the castle, and she could see blood on his face. He stumbled when he got down from the horse, and Arya was by his side in a second.

"Arya, the men in Winter Town, they think I--" Gendry started, but Arya knew what he was about to say. Ryon said that 'all of the North knew' so the people in Winter Town must not have reacted well to finding out that Gendry had supposedly dishonored their princess.

"I know, and you know I don't believe it," Arya said as she helped him toward Maester Wolken's room. The fact that Ryon came down and tried to court her already didn't sit right with her, but now that everyone thought that Gendry was with other women, it was downright suspicious. Someone was playing a game and using her marriage as part of it, and Arya Stark did not take being a pawn well.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Sansa did not like that House Dustin thought they could just appear on their front gates and would be welcome. It set her teeth on edge, and she didn't approve at all. However, they were allies, even if they were some of the most annoying allies she had ever dealt with. If there were ravens that she did not like getting or passing along to Jon, it was the ones with House Dustin seal on them because they were going to be about a grown man complaining that he wasn't getting what he deserved. The Lord of the House would essentially say that he was always loyal to the Stark's and should have gotten something for that. Ryon Dustin vanished almost immediately, but Harlan stuck close to his father, and Sansa didn't like the way he was looking around Winterfell. It was far too confident. Jon walked into the Great Hall and smiled, but it was that tight smile he wore when he was annoyed.

"Lord Dustin, I didn't know you were coming, what can I do for you?" Jon asked.

"I was wondering if we could talk in private man to man. What I want to talk about isn't suitable for the ears of ladies," Lord Dustin said, and now Sansa was annoyed. She was the Hand of the King, which meant that anything he could say to Jon she needed to hear as well. However, Dustin had already threatened to withdraw his support the last time that Jon told him off, and they couldn't afford to lose any allies right now. At least not until the formal alliance with Free Folk was in place, and Sansa planned to tell several lesser houses that they could fall into line or shut the fuck up.

Unfortunately, that was not something that she could do right now, so before Jon could tell the Lord Dustin that he was being an asshole, Sansa decided it was best to remove herself from the situation.

"Of course," Sansa said. "I'm sure my brother will give me the more sanitized version once we meet again."

"My son Harlan hasn't been to Winterfell before; perhaps the princess could give him a tour?" Lord Dustin said like Sansa was just a pretty face in this house and not the second most powerful person in all of the North. She thought back to what her mother would say in a situation like this and nodded her head.

"Come, Lord Harlan, I will show you my home," Sansa said.

"Thank you, Princess Sansa, I would be honored," Harlan replied. Jon looked annoyed as he and Lord Dustin made their way up to Jon's private solar as Sansa led Harlan outside to the grounds of Winterfell. She began to show him around the castle and noticed that Ryon Dustin was apparently shooting arrows with Arya, which was a strange thing to witness. Theon, once he heard about Dustin visiting, made him scarce as he often did during visits like this. There were too many people in the North that didn't like Theon, and his presence had almost cost them allies in the past. All of the North knew they were betrothed, so Sansa didn't see why he needed to hide, but Theon said he didn't want to deal with it. "May I offer you my arm, Princess Sansa?" Harlan asked.

"I'm fine, thank you," Sansa replied. She didn't want this strange man to touch her in any capacity, and he frowned deeply when she turned him down. Bran and Meera were in the Godswood, which meant that Nymeria was close by. Sansa smiled when she saw the two of them, but Nymeria was apparently in a mood. She raced forward and bared her teeth at Harlan. He jumped back and immediately drew his sword like he was going to use it on Nymeria, which was not acceptable. "Put that thing away immediately," Sansa snapped.

"That beast is going to kill me!" Harlan said, and his voice was a little higher. He sounded legitimately afraid, and Sansa wanted to roll her eyes.

"A direwolf will only attack someone who is a threat to House Stark," Sansa said with a sweet smile. "Are you a threat to someone from House Stark?"

"No, Your Grace, of course not, I just wanted to keep you safe from the beast," Harlan stammered though his voice was shaking.

"I am the Red Wolf, Hand to the King, and a Stark of Winterfell. Why would I, of all people, need protecting from a direwolf?" she asked. Both Bran and Meera were grinning, and Meera called Nymeria back, who bared her teeth at Harlan one last time and turned back to put herself between Meera and Harlan. He still had his sword in hand, and Sansa narrowed her eyes. "I said, put that weapon away." Harlan did as he was told, and the two of them walked around the grounds in complete silence until it was time for dinner. Sansa did not miss that both Ryon and Arya were missing from the training grounds when they left the Godswood.

+++

The dinner was strange, and Sansa could tell that something wasn't right. While Gendry didn't like events like this, he and Arya usually came down for food at the least very least. When Sansa took one of the kitchen girls aside, she asked if she had seen Theon the girl said that Theon was in their rooms and would bring him a meal. The kitchen girl, Tisa, was the same one who walked in here and Gendry the other day. There was something about her that Sansa didn't like, but she couldn't voice that right now. Right now, she needed to keep Jon from siccing Ghost on House Dustin, all three members of which were looking oddly smug.

Sansa did her best to play the gracious hostess and listen to what the men had to say. Lord Dustin was saying something about trying to find suitable matches for his sons and how he wanted the best for his House. Jon narrowed his eyes and watched the man carefully as Lord Dustin lamented how hard it was to find worthy women befitting his two amazing sons.

"The North has suffered in recent years, so I imagine that the number of available women in other Houses would be limited," Jon said.

"Oh there are plenty of good women out there, Your Grace, it's just a matter of convincing them to make the right decision," Lord Dustin said, and Sansa gripped her fork tight enough that she could feel the edges digging into her skin.

"Perhaps you could look into matches in the South, Lord Dustin, since there don't appear to any in the North that meet your rigorous standards," Sansa replied benevolently. She didn't want to deal with this anymore, but she also didn't have much of a choice. Sansa sat through the entire dinner and kept bribing Ghost with food so he didn’t go over and growl at the Dustin family. Nymeria, who remained close to Meera, was also eyeing the family with barely concealed rage. Harlan, in particular, would look over at the direwolf and go a little pale.

"Yes, well, those Wilding fuckers are just looking for a chance to steal more of our good Northern women," Lord Dustin said, and Sansa sighed because there were many things that Jon would tolerate but talking badly about the Free Folk was not one of them.

"Lord Dustin," Jon said loudly, and everyone in the room immediately fell silent. Sansa quite enjoyed watching her brother scare lesser men when he showed just how much of a wolf and a dragon could be when provoked. Jon had a good heart, but he was also the man that chopped off the head of the Night King, and men like William Dustin would do well to remember that. "The Free Folk fought and died to give Winterfell back to my family, and then they fought and died to save us all from the dead and the Night King. I would not have succeeded in killing the Night King were it not for the Free Folk, so it would be in your best interest not to talk badly about them."

"Your Grace, I merely--"

"The Free Folk have been nowhere near your household," Bran said in his voice that said he was very much telling the truth, and it would be in everyone's interest to listen to him. "So your worries about them are unfounded or filled with lies. You should hope it is the former since my brother does not take kindly to liars." Lord Dustin turned red at those words, and Sansa took a sip of her wine to hide her smile. She did so adore her brothers.

The dinner finally ended, and she stole two extra lemon cakes to bring up to her room so she could have dessert with Theon. She did enjoy watching the Dustin family go to their rooms in disgrace, but there was still something strange about all of this. Sansa was trying to push it from her mind when she opened her door and found Theon utterly covered in mud.

"My gods, what happened to you?" she asked as she sat the lemon cakes down and quickly closed the door behind her. Theon was fighting with his ruined clothes but also appeared to be shaking.

"I didn't do what they accused me of; you have to believe me, Sansa, I would never do that," Theon babbled.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Sansa said as she held up her hands in a way that she often had to when she needed to placate Theon. "Please, just tell me what happened, so I can help you get out of these clothes."

"I was outside and trying to avoid House Dustin because I know they have been giving you trouble, and I didn't want to make it worse by being around. I was out near the stables when a few of the stable boys pushed me into the mud. They kicked me and said that I was dishonoring their princess. They said that I was back to my old ways and sleeping with some kitchen girl whose name I hadn't ever heard of. They said I needed to pay for making one of their Princesses look like a fool. I managed to get away from them, and I've been hiding up here ever since," Theon explained far too quickly. "I swear to you, Sansa, I would never dishonor you, I would never touch another woman. I can't even--"

"I know you wouldn't ever touch another woman," Sansa replied as she touched his muddy shoulder. She didn't care about the mud, or the fact that Theon nearly falling into her arms was ruining her dress. Sansa didn't know who was shaking more; Theon as he whispered that he swore he was faithful to her or Sansa as she struggled to contain her rage that someone would spread such terrible rumors.

Something was afoot, and Sansa very much intended to find out what it was.

+++

Arya helped clean and put a bandage on Gendry's head and told him to stay in her room so she could go talk to someone about this. He agreed, and it looked like he already had a headache from the rock. Arya, on the other hand, was already so angry that she was seeing red. She thought about going to Jon but decided that Sansa was probably the better choice when it came to this sort of thing. Her sister would be calmer, more rational, and maybe even able to provide some kind of explanation that Arya couldn't think of at the moment. She walked up the stairs and knocked on Sansa's door. She was a little surprised to see Sansa covered in mud and looking like she wanted to feed another person to dogs.

"What happened?" Arya asked.

"It's a long story," Sansa said as she looked over her shoulder. Theon was soaking in a tub and looked like he wanted to be anywhere else. "Let's go somewhere else." The two of them walked up to the library and found a dark corner where no one would listen in or bother them.

"I know why I'm angry, but why are you?" Arya asked.

"Someone is spreading lies about Theon and saying that he is sleeping with a kitchen girl behind my back. They shoved Theon into the mud for dishonoring me," Sansa said, and Arya felt her blood run cold. Her first instinct was to say it was a coincidence, but she couldn't ignore that the timing was too good. "Why are you angry?"

"Funny, you should ask," Arya replied. "Because someone is going around and saying that Gendry is sleeping with a kitchen girl too. They threw a rock at him at Winter Town, and he came into Winterfell bleeding." If Sansa looked angry before now, she looked furious. "And you won't believe who told me about this rumor."

"Who?"

"Ryon Dustin after he came out to shoot arrows with me and acted like he was trying to court me," Arya said.

"How odd for I had to take Harlan Dustin around Winterfell for a tour at the insistence of his father, and he offered his arm much like a man trying to court someone as well." Sansa stood up and looked out the nearby window. It was late, and the moon was already high, but Arya didn't intend to let this sit. "House Dustin arrives just as the rumors that both of the men we are with are being outed as cads, and he's here with two eligible sons while ranting that no one in the North is worthy."

"I don't like being pawns in someone else's game," Arya said. "But if I go around threatening all of the kitchen girls, then I'm just going to look like a madwoman, and we can't bring this to Jon without any proof."

"Maybe we do have proof or at least a name," Sansa said as she sat back down. "When I asked him to make my rings, a kitchen girl, I believe her name is Tisa, came in to drop off food. He didn't look surprised to see her, which could only mean that she had been to the forge more than once. She is also the one I tend to see sent up to my room when Theon needs time to himself and won't come down for dinner."

"What do we know about her?" Arya asked.

"Not much, she didn't start working here until recently, which would make sense if she was sent here by William Dustin to start rumors," Sansa said, and she smiled. Arya knew that smile because she saw it in her own mirror; that was a smile of a wolf about to devour its prey. "I think we should go visit young Tisa. What do you think?"

"Gladly," Arya said with a hand on Needle.

+++

Tisa was still in the kitchens when Sansa and Arya found her. She was a plain-looking girl, but she made sure to flaunt the curves that she did have. She bowed deeply when Sansa and Arya walked in and started to go a little pale when Sansa ordered everyone but Tisa out of the kitchen immediately.

"M'ladies, how can I help you?" Tisa asked meekly.

"I want to know why you're spreading rumors about Gendry and Theon sleeping with you," Arya said, not at all in the mood to be subtle right now. This was her marriage that this girl was trying to destroy, and she was not going to stand by and let that happen. Tisa went white as a sheet as she stared at the two of them.

"My Princesses, I would never do such a thing," she said, but Arya knew liars, and this girl was not a very good one. Sansa stood up a little taller and loomed over the smaller girl in a way that made her take a step back. Tisa's eyes hit the floor and clasped her hands in front of her.

"You are the one that's been dropping off food in the forge for weeks," Sansa said. "I saw you come in, and Gendry didn't seem bothered to see you there, which means he's seen you before. You are the one I've sent up to my room to bring Theon food when he doesn't feel up to coming to dinner. So, we're going to ask you one last time, why are you spreading these untrue rumors?"

"How do you know they're untrue?" Tisa said quickly. "Maybe I have laid with Ser Gendry and Prince Theon. You can't know if I'm lying."

"Because Prince Theon is a eunuch thanks to the torture he suffered at the hands of Ramsay Bolton so he couldn't lay with you even if he wanted to which he doesn't. It took time for him to let me touch him in any capacity," Sansa snapped.

"And I know, Gendry. We've been through hell together, and he's had other opportunities to be with other women. If he was going to lie with another, he would have done it years ago and not now," Arya replied, and she took a step further. "I know when my husband is lying to me, Tisa, and he wasn't lying to me when he said he had no idea what people were talking about. Now, this is your last chance, why are you spreading these lies or we'll show you what happens when you try to tarnish the names of the She-Wolves of Winterfell."

"It was never about tarnishing either of you!" Tisa blurted. "He wanted the rumors to spread so King Jon would have to call off the betrothal or banish them from the North! He was the one who wanted me to come here and work!" Tisa began to openly weep as she stood before the two of them and eventually fell to her knees. "I swear, m'ladies, I was just doing as I was told. He said it was for the good of the North, and I needed to do my duty. He said our princesses shouldn't be lying with foreign men while good Northern blood is right in front of them."

"Who told you to do this?" Sansa asked, and Tisa hesitated. "Tisa, it would be in your best interest to tell us what you know, or you'll be looking at something worse than banishment from Winterfell."

"Lord Dustin!" Tisa said, and she began to cry again. "He was the one who told me to come here and start the rumors. He wants you to marry his sons, and he thought this was the only way. He told me I was doing the right thing for the North. He said I needed to do what was right. Please, m'ladies, I beg of you. I have nowhere to go, and I was just doing what my Lord told me to do. Please!" Arya glanced at Sansa, who was looking at the ceiling like it had all of the answers that she needed in this world. Arya knew the feeling because she felt the same way. This girl couldn't be older than seventeen, and she was crying on the floor of their kitchen. Arya knew that she was probably telling the truth about having nowhere to go, but she couldn't stay here. Not with the rumors that she had started.

"Tisa, stand up, you're going to come with us, and you're going to tell King Jon exactly what you just told us," Sansa said. "And then we're going to see about placing you somewhere else. Perhaps the Reed's will take you in the Neck. We'll find somewhere for you to go, but you can't stay here. Do you understand?" Tisa nodded and pushed herself up on shaky feet. Arya began to guide her out of the kitchen, but Tisa looked like she was about to panic.

"Now? But it's late, the King, I can't--"

"We need to deal with this immediately," Arya said as they walked through the hallways. "I will not allow that man to use my life as a ploy." Tisa was still crying and shaking by the time Jon opened the door. He took one look at Arya and Sansa, both of them looked like they were ready to rip out throats, and a weeping kitchen girl, and sighed.

"Come on and tell me exactly what's going on," he said.

+++

Gendry was thankfully asleep by the time Arya made it back to their room. They had spent the last several hours talking to Tisa and getting all of the information they could from her. She was from a family that had worked for the Dustin household for many years, and she was caught sleeping with Ryon a few months ago. Dustin sent her to Winterfell after telling her about how terrible it was that the two Northern princesses were married to a southern bastard and the man that betrayed the Stark's. Tisa was in love with Ryon, and he told her that if she did this, Ryon would still come to her when he got married to Arya. The whole thing made Arya so angry she almost punched the wall. Sansa was too still, and Jon looked like he was about to march down to deal with the Dustin's himself. Tisa revealed that both of the sons knew about this plan, so there were no innocents here.

Arya cuddled close to Gendry in their bed and closed her eyes. The problem was that there was no way of squashing the rumors entirely. That was what Tisa didn't understand as she begged for her life. The damage was already done; the people of the North just wanted an excuse to hate Gendry and Theon, and these rumors would follow them for the rest of their lives. It was a stain on their honor that wouldn't ever go away. Gendry might be able to weather it, he endured so much already, and Arya hated it, but Theon was a different story. Arya didn't want Sansa to lose the man that she chose. She didn't want Sansa to be alone or get forced to marry someone she didn't love.

The next morning Arya insisted that Gendry join her to break their fast. He didn't want to, said it was a bad idea, but she told him it was important. He reluctantly agreed, and Jon, Sansa, Theon, Bran, Meera, and both of the direwolves were in the room already. They were seated and waiting for when Lord Dustin and his two sons came in. Bran and Meera seemed to know what was going on, judging by the way Meera very much looked like she wanted to throw a spear through someone's eye. Lord Dustin seemed to realize that something wasn't right.

"Your Grace, I'm so glad to see everyone here to break our fast," Lord Dustin said, and he jumped when the guards slammed the doors shut and blocked the doorways.

"Lord Dustin, I thought it was odd that you came to talk to me out of nowhere for such trivial matters," Jon said. "I thought it was even stranger that you brought both of your sons with you. Now I understand why you did what you did, and this is your only chance to try and explain yourself." Theon and Gendry both looked confused, and Arya took Gendry's hand into hers and held in tight.

"Your Grace, I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about," Lord Dustin said, which was a mistake if Arya ever heard one.

"We spoke to Tisa," Sansa said, and Arya watched the two sons. Harlan didn't react to the name, but Ryon went a little pale. Both Ghost and Nymeria were circling the Great Hall and growling softly. "She told us quite the tale about how you told her that she needed to spread the rumors that Ser Gendry and Prince Theon were being unfaithful with her. You told her this was for the good of the North because you thought your sons were better matches for Princess Arya and me than the men we choose for ourselves. You told her to lie."

"I did no such thing," Lord Dustin snapped. "My King, you really must talk to your sisters and get these crazy ideas out of their womanly heads."

"You would be wise not to say anything about my sister or me," Arya said. "My wolf is very protective, and my sister is Hand to the King. You are demeaning the second most powerful person in the North. You told your sons to come and try to court both of us while you wasted our brother's time yesterday. You thought that neither of us would notice, and Jon would end our betrothal or marriage due to the scandal, and we would fall into your son's arms. It didn't work."

"My King--"

"Furthermore," Bran said. "You seem to have forgotten that I can see things, Lord Dustin, and I saw you tell young Tisa what she needed to do. I saw you tell her to start these terrible rumors, and my family believes her and me."

"Now would be the time to beg for mercy," Jon said, sounding much like the warrior everyone seemed to forget that he was. "Now would be the time to throw yourself on the mercy of Princess Sansa, Princess Arya, Prince Theon, and Ser Gendry because they are the ones who will decide the sentence I lay down on you for such a grave insult against House Stark. How dare you claim to be loyal when you would undermine the decisions I made."

"Your sisters chose their men! You didn't choose them!" Harlan said, and his father tried to silence him.

"I didn't, but you undermine me because I approved of both of their matches," Jon said as he stood. "Ser Gendry is a direct descendant of Robert Baratheon, brother to the Lord of Storm's End Edric Baratheon, and cousin to Queen Daenerys in the South. He was the man who armed Westeros in the fight against the dead, and their marriage forms a strong alliance with not only the Crown but the Stormlands. Prince Theon is a prince who is already a higher rank than you, Lord Dustin. His marriage to Sansa aligns us with the Iron Isles. So why do you think your sons are better than them? Why do you think you know better than me what is good for my sisters? Why do you insult the intelligence of your King so flagrantly?" Lord Dustin was white now as Ghost and Nymeria began to circle them.

"Mercy!" Ryon said he pushed past his father and brother and fell to his knees. "Please, mercy on me and my family. We were thinking only for the good of the North, but we see now how terribly we've insulted you. Please, mercy." Lord Dustin looked like he wanted to yell at his son for doing this, but then Nymeria growled loudly, and he and Harlan both fell to their knees. Arya didn't want to grant mercy, but she also knew that slaughtering the head of a lesser house is what got Robb in trouble. They still needed House Dustin, and showing mercy would be the way to go. Jon looked at her and Sansa. Arya squeezed Gendry's hand, and he looked at her.

"Shall we grant them mercy?" she asked softly. Gendry looked like he wasn't sure what to do with that sentence but eventually nodded slowly. Sansa was clearly asking the same thing of Theon, who looked a little green. Jon looked at them both and nodded.

"My sister's and I have agreed to grant you mercy, but rest assured this is the last time I will tolerate any sort of slight against me or my family, Lord Dustin," Jon said. "Do not test me again." All three of the Dustin men were thanking Jon, thanking them, for their mercy and promising never to do anything like this again, but Arya wasn't listening. The people of the North had their grievance against Gendry and Theon, and it wouldn't matter what any of them said to try and refute it. No one would believe them. Arya glared at the Dustin men because their arrogance had severely harmed her family's reputation with the people of the North.

Lord Dustin wanted the North to hate Theon and Gendry and forever taint their reputations and make Jon look weak for allowing this to continue. He was the one begging for mercy, but Arya couldn't shake the feeling that, on some level, he'd won.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Arya spent the next several days at Gendry's side, but he seemed to know as much as she did that the Dustin's had made things harder for them. They sent Tisa away, which started the rumors that she was with child, and they didn't want to deal with a bastard which just made Gendry shrink even further into himself. Arya tried to tell as many people who would listen that it wasn't true, but they all seemed to think she was some stupid girl that couldn't see the truth that was right in front of her. Sansa seemed to be having the same problems with Theon, who was refusing to leave his room for days at a time. Gendry would leave the room, but he would shut himself up in the forge and wouldn't even open the door for anyone that wasn't Arya.

"We should have killed them," Sansa said one night as they were eating in Jon's private solar. Bran and Meera were there, but Gendry and Theon had both decided that they would rather take their meals alone. "We should have let Ghost and Nymeria tear them apart."

"It wouldn't have made a difference," Bran said. "If you had killed them and it got out that the Dustin's were the ones who told you about the so-called affairs, it would have been seen as us trying to silence people who told us what we didn't want to hear. Spilling blood wouldn't have helped anyone."

"Doesn't mean I didn't want to do it," Arya said, and Jon looked a little sad as he looked at her. "I didn't fight this long and this hard to be with that man only for some no-name House to try and take him away from me."

"He's not going anywhere," Jon said. "And neither is Theon. Besides, I'm sure the alliance with the Free Folk is going to be the form of gossip for who knows how long. People are not going to be happy that I'm doing this, so maybe that will be enough to distract them."

"At least the Free Folk won't be put off by any of these stupid rumors," Sansa snapped. "If the Dustin's had compromised these negotiations, I might have had Bran ask Rhaegal if he wanted some food."

"He's not in the mood to eat any people but appreciates you asking," Bran said, and there was no possible way to tell if he was joking or not. Meera was smiling to herself like she knew something the rest of them didn't, which usually didn't bode well for the rest of them.

"We went and saw Rhaegal a few days ago," Meera said when they were all staring at her. "We wanted to make sure that no one was bothering him and that he was getting enough food. He seems to be doing well and got weirdly protective around me, so apparently, dragons can sense when a human is with child."

"Oh, great, Nymeria is already two minutes away from ripping out throats, and now we have a hyper-protective dragon, got any other good news for me?" Jon deadpanned, and for some reason, that was the thing that broke the tension in the room. Arya smiled and laughed for the first time in days as they all talked about what would happen if Rhaegal started acting like Nymeria and Ghost when it came to protecting the baby. Meera was further along now, and the small baby bump was lovely to see. The slightly stupid expression Bran would get when he would see the bump was also one of the few things that brought Arya joy regularly. By the time they all decided that letting Rhaegal out and about to protect the new pup was probably not the best idea, everyone was in a much better mood.

"Do we know when we know when Val is going to be here?" Sansa asked, and Jon nodded.

"Yeah, a few days, and I have to say I'm a little nervous. I didn't think I'd ever be in a position like this, where my own hand in marriage is something valuable. I thought I was going to freeze to death, alone on the wall," Jon said, and he sighed. "We're going to have to figure out a way to make this deal appealing to the Free Folk. They have some customs that other people aren't going to understand, and I don't know how well she's going to take to the idea of being a Queen."

"You know these people, Jon, you lived among them," Arya said. "If anyone can figure out how to make this work, it's you. You know what they'll want and what they won't want. It's all a matter of finding the right things to say, and you're good at this. There isn't anyone else better equipped to broker a true alliance between the North and the Free Folk than you." Jon opened his mouth to say something when Meera suddenly gasped, and everyone turned to look at her.

"Are you okay?" Bran asked, sounding more panicked than Arya had ever heard him.

"Yes," Meera whispered. "It's just, the baby kicked, and that was the first time I ever felt it. It just took me by surprise." They all took turns placing their hands over Meera's stomach as she held onto Bran's hand and tried not to cry. There were a lot of bad things going on but they weren't all bad. Arya needed this reminder. In a few days, they would begin the meetings with the Free Folk to form an alliance and that kind of power would help keep Gendry and Theon safe.

+++

Gendry woke up before dawn on the day that Val from the Free Folk was supposed to arrive. He was up before dawn almost every day and had been since the rumor about him being unfaithful began to spread. Gendry just wanted to keep his head down and hope that maybe the Northers would forget or move on from this. At his worst moments, he thought a child might calm them down, but that wasn't possible for them.

Arya shifted in their bed as Gendry got ready for his day and sat up to watch him get ready. She had done all she could to try and convince people that he wasn't his father, and he never slept with anyone besides her, but it wasn't working. The whispers continued along with the whispers that he was a bastard, that he didn't belong, that it was his fault the princess was still without child, it was all his fault. It was a burden he tried to bear with as much grace as he could Gendry was still a human being, and sometimes he buckled under the weight.

He knew that this was one of those times that he was buckling under that weight.

"You know you don't need to hide in the forge all day," Arya said. "The Free Folk won't care about these rumors, and even if they did, none of them care about you sleeping around on some princess they've never heard of."

"Tormund would very much care and will probably want to separate my head from my neck," Gendry replied as he sat at the end of their bed to lace up his boots. Arya moved behind him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She was still warm from their bed, and no one should smell that good this early in the morning. Gendry wanted to turn around and take her to bed, but the chambermaids were already giving him dirty looks. The last thing he needed was to provide them with another reason.

"And Tormund knows you. Anyone who knows you knows that it isn't true and couldn't ever be true," Arya said as she kissed his neck softly. Gendry leaned back into her arms a little and closed his eyes. He wanted just to carry on the way he had always been, but it felt like too much. It felt like he wouldn't ever belong here, not really, no matter how times Jon or Sansa or Bran or Arya told him that he did. He was wrapped up in the game of thrones now, in politics, and Gendry might not have been raised a noble but he knows that perception is extremely important when it comes to the noble families. That's why they keep their secrets bottled up behind high walls and in higher towers.

"I need to get going," Gendry said as he moved away from her. Arya frowned, and he was a weak man that couldn't say no to her even if he wanted to. Gendry leaned forward and kissed Arya gently on the lips, but Arya, as usual, had her own plans. She immediately deepened the kiss and slid her tongue into his mouth. He was getting distracted, and if Arya managed to get his clothes off, Gendry knew that he wouldn't leave this room until mid-afternoon. It took a lot of his self-control to pull away from her. "You're a tempting thing, but I need to get going. I'll see you later." He could feel Arya watching him as he hurried out of the room and nearly ran into one of the chambermaids.

It was the way she paled when she saw it was him that got to Gendry the most. The chambermaids and the kitchen girls were afraid to be alone around him now because they thought he was some raper that was going to take everything from them. It turned his stomach that they thought that way about him, and Gendry quickly averted his eyes and nearly ran to his forge. No one came in there now, no one dropped off food, he was alone, and Gendry didn't mind it as he started to do some more research on how he could melt the Valyrian Steel that Mott gave him.

Gendry heard more than he saw the Free Folk arrive. They were loud, and they always seemed to be enjoying life way more than the rest of them did. It was something he admired about them, and Gendry wasn't surprised when the door of the forge was thrown open, and Tormund strolled in. He was grinning and didn't look like he wanted to skin Gendry alive for the rumor, but Gendry wasn't entirely sure one way or another.

"My favorite blacksmith! I see you're still proving that nobles aren't completely worthless and can pull their own weight. Good for you!" Tormund said, and he slapped Gendry on the back hard enough that it hurt a little. "Do you still swing that warhammer like a devil?"

"When I need to," Gendry replied, which was true. "I can only assume you're here because you want me to do some repairs on your weapons and not because you wanted to see me." Tormund laughed as he produced his weapons, and Gendry began to look them over. He didn't know how long these negotiations were going to take, but he should have enough time to fix them all.

"Some towns people are saying some rather terrible things about you, lad," Tormund said, and he sounded so much like Davos at that moment that Gendry thought he had been transported to Storm's End. "I don't believe it, but it's out there."

"I know," Gendry said. "Will it affect how Val sees us?"

"No, I told her you're a good lad, and she trusts my judgment of people though she might try to get a free weapon out of you," Tormund said, and Gendry laughed to himself.

"I can handle that," he said.

+++

Jon was standing with Sansa, Arya, Bran, and Meera when the Free Folk arrived. Theon was still in his rooms and refusing to come out because he thought that his presence would only make them look weak. Gendry was shutting himself up in the forge for hours at a time and would barely come in for meals. Jon was worried about both of them and his sisters, but he also couldn't focus on them right now. There were more important things to do, like trying to arrange his own marriage, which was still so weird to think about.

Tormund walked out in front of everyone and greeted him like the friends they were. Jon knew that Tormund wouldn't ever bow the way he was supposed to, and a man that fought alongside his family in the long night didn't need to bow as far as Jon was concerned.

"Little Wolf, where's that husband of yours? I have some weapons that need fixing," Tormund said after he was done greeting all of them like he hadn't seen them in months when he had just seen them a fortnight ago. Jon watched as Arya smiled tightly and did her best not to let anyone see just how much all of this was bothering her; Jon was so proud of the strength of his sisters.

"In the forge, and I'm sure he'd be glad to see you," Arya said with the implication that Gendry could do with the friendly face. A woman dressed in furs with honey blonde braided hair and pale blue eyes climbed off of her horse and stood before Jon.

"You must be Jon Snow," she said, and several people who weren't Jon's family started making noises about someone using his bastard name, but Jon didn't mind. If she was saying his bastard name, then she must know about him from Tormund.

"And you must be Val," Jon said, and he offered a hand to shake instead of bowing to her. Val eyed the hand but eventually took it. "I thought the two of us could have this conversation privately if you're amenable to that."

"I won't be giving up my weapons," Val said as she gestured to the daggers on her belt.

"Then we'll be on equal footing," Jon said with his hand on Longclaw. Val turned to the other Free Folk and nodded to them. "Oh, and no stealing anyone. I'm afraid we can't have any of that while you're visiting." Val blinked like she was surprised that he knew about that, but she nodded.

"Very well, no stealing of any men or women," Val announced as she looked back at the men. They all looked at her like they respected her as a leader which was impressive for a woman. Jon knew not to underestimate women, he knew too many strong ones that could kill him to underestimate women, but Jon also knew how hard it was for women to attain that level of respect. Jon nodded, and the two of them walked through Winterfell to his private solar where they could talk. This wasn't usually how things like this were done, but he also thought that making a public spectacle of this wouldn't end well. Jon offered Val a seat, took off his crown, and sat down as well.

"So Tormund tells me the King of the North wants to have a conversation with me," Val begins. "And I'm about to tell him to fuck off, but then he starts talking about the King is Jon Snow and who Jon Snow is. You are the man that slew the Night King, the man that let us pass through the Wall, the man that is letting us settle in the North if we should desire to, and I decided to give you a chance to speak. So, speak."

"And I'm glad to have the Free Folk on Northern lands, but that is something we need to talk about. There are a lot of lesser Houses that still think of you as Wildlings coming to pillage and kill them. I'm concerned that there will be conflicts," Jon said.

"There already have been," she replied and sat up a little straighter as she leaned forward in her chair. "You have an idea then?"

"I do."

"So spit it out."

"I need you to promise that you won't say "no" right away first," Jon said, and Val narrowed her eyes.

"I will listen to what you have to say, Jon Snow," Val said.

"The North sees your people as invaders when you aren't. You're just another member of our world looking to find your place in it," Jon explained as he took a deep breath and prayed that he didn't mess this up. "However, I will have a hard time protecting your people without an Alliance and not just an Alliance in writing or in words. We need to bring the Free Folk into the North formally, so if someone attacked you, it would be attacking their own people. The best way to integrate the Free Folk into the North for everyone's safety would be a marriage alliance. A marriage alliance to someone in very high standing that could declare that all of you are Northerns now and no one could argue. Someone like me getting married to someone like you." Val stared at him without even blinking for what felt like a very long time, but Jon didn't look away.

"The Free Folk will bow to no King," Val said lowly. "And I am certainly no Queen."

"I don't know how long I can keep people attacking your settlements, and if we went to war, I would have to back the Houses that I have an Alliance with and not the Free Folk," Jon said. "I'm not asking any of you to bow to anyone. I have lived among you; I don't want to change the way you live, you won't have to adapt Westeros customs. What I need is a strong alliance with someone in the Free Folk and an agreement that if I needed your help with a war, you would come to my aide."

"You are assuming that we wouldn't already come to your aide?" Val snapped, but she seemed to be coming back to herself. She took a deep breath and released it slowly. "I've seen the way Kings and Queens treat their children, and should I ever have a child, I won't see it locked into the societal constraints of being a prince or princess."

"I have considered that and, if I may present a solution?" Jon asked, and she nodded slowly like she couldn't believe that Jon would think that far in advance. "Tormund must have told you I'm what they call a bastard here. I'm not a trueborn son of the last Lord of this house. I do have a younger brother who is, and he is a younger brother who is married and expecting a child. I would offer you this compromise for any children we might have in the future; I name Bran's son or daughter as my heir. They will be of proper Stark blood for the North, which will make the lesser Lords happy. As for our children, well, they would still have to be in a position of power to cement the continuation of our Alliance beyond our reign. So, instead, we offer them the post of Kingsguard or Queensguard. Instead of being locked into the constraints of being a prince or princess, they would be a warrior like you and like me." Val stood up and began to pace in her solar with her arms crossed tightly across her chest. Jon knew what he was going through because he felt it too.

"I would make a terrible Queen," Val said softly.

"You care about your people, and you want what's best for them. Those are the qualities of a good ruler and ones that I want to embody as well," Jon said, and Val turned to look at him. Jon stood up and walked toward her, but he put his hands up in surrender. "I want those qualities too, which is why I want to keep the Free Folk safe. I lost one of yours during the attack on Castle Black. I loved her very much, and I miss her every pain. That pain I went through, I don't want it for anyone else, but Val my gut tells me if we keep this up, we're going to go to war, and I don't want to go war with you. I don't want to lose any more people."

"I don't want to lose anyone else either," Val said. "We lost too many to the Others. What of the people beyond the Wall?"

"Our borders are open both to the north and the south," Jon replied. "There will be guards stationed there as there are now, but people can come and go as they pleased. I assure you; I don't want to make the Free Folk be anything other than what you are, and that includes you." Val's head jerked up as she stared at him. "You're a Free Woman, and I don't want to do anything to make you think we're not equals. So that's how we would rule the North; as equals. I wouldn't make you bow to me as long as you don't make me bow to you."

"Southern men don't share power with their wives," Val whispered.

"Maybe it's time for that to change. That's why my sister Sansa is my Hand to the King and why my other sister Arya is one of our greatest warriors. There is a Queen that I trust and believe in ruling the south as we speak. I assure you, I do not think women should bow to men, and I wouldn't ask that of you," Jon said. Val looked back at the fireplace and chewed on her lower lip.

"You truly think there would be war if we don't do this?" she asked, and he nodded. "I suppose I would have to stay in this place as well to rule as your Queen. Would we have to share a bed?"

"Tradition dictates that we consummate our marriage on our wedding night, and we do need to have children at some point, but I wouldn't ever force you," Jon said. "And if we never come to love each other, I'm hoping that we could at least be partners and confidants in each other."

"You want to be friends with your wife?" Val asked, but she was smiling.

"I would very much like to be friends with my wife," Jon replied. She studied him for a moment like she was trying to gauge whether or not he was telling the truth. Eventually, Val released a breath and turned to stand before him.

"Congratulations Jon Snow; you managed to convince a Free Woman to steal herself," Val said, and, just like that, Jon found himself standing before his betrothed.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Arya watched as Val and Jon vanished into his solar, and she tried to calm her breathing. Jon could do this, she knew he could, but that didn't make her any less nervous about the entire thing. She glanced at Sansa, who had a similar expression on her face like she was worried about what this might mean no matter what outcome it has. If Jon fails, it could mean war with the Free Folk someday, and if Jon succeeds, there was really no telling what kind of reaction the rest of the North was going to have. Arya didn't want to think about this anymore, and she wandered across Winterfell until she got to the forge and found Tormund speaking quietly with Gendry. Arya didn't like how Gendry looked a little pale, but he looked up when she knocked and smiled at her.

"There is my favorite little wolf!" Tormund said with a grin. "So, your husband won't tell me what the crow wants to talk to Val about, will you?"

"I think any decisions about the two of them should come from them," Arya replied. Tormund stared at her and then laughed.

"I told you she would have a better answer than I did," Gendry said, and Arya looked at him. "I told him to mind his own fucking business."

"I mean, that works too," Arya replied. Tormund slapped her shoulder gently and looked between the two of them.

"I should go make sure no one is stealing anyone," Tormund said. "I'll be back for my weapons later." Gendry waved him off, and Arya settled down in her chair so she could watch him work. She never got tired of watching Gendry bend and mend metal. It was beautiful, and art and she was forever grateful that the people of Westeros at least recognized the artistry behind Gendry's work even if they didn't respect the man himself.

"Tormund came in and told me he heard some interesting rumors about me," Gendry said without looking up from his work. "Obviously, he doesn't believe them since I still have my head, and he doesn't think it's going to impact Val's opinion of us either."

"I just hope this works," Arya said sadly. Gendry didn't understand what it meant that they had to let House Dustin leave with almost no punishment, but she did, and it ate her up inside.

"Your brother is a good man, and I imagine that's half the work," Gendry replied. "Also, Tormund gave me a talking to that sounded so much like Davos I thought I was somehow in the south." Arya laughed as she thought about a big warrior like Tormund being a dad. She had seen him around his daughters, and it was still a little weird to think about. What didn't surprise her was that Tormund decided that Gendry needed another father figure in his life. Her lovely husband had a way of breaking the hearts of the people around him and making them want to help and take care of him. He didn't even know he was doing it, he was just sincere and didn't shy away from the hardships of his life, and Arya knew that he'd been missing Davos since he went to Storm's End to help Edric, Mya, and Bella run Storm's End. If Val said yes, then Tormund would be around more, and that was a good thing for everyone.

Arya settled into her chair and picked up the small ingots of Valyrian Steel that Mott left to Gendry and turned one of them over in her hand. She loved the way they felt in her hands, and she wished he could make some sort of amazing weapon out of them. There was hardly enough steel for a knife, so even if Gendry managed to figure out how to work with the steel, there was a good chance he wouldn't be able to make anything big. Arya wanted him to have the opportunity to make something that could last, and with these little bits of metal, maybe he could make new heirlooms for House Stark. If Val said yes, then things were very much about to change in the North, and they would need new heirlooms.

It was several hours later that someone called that Jon and Val were coming outside together. Gendry wanted to keep hiding, but Arya took his hand and all but dragged him out. This was important, and they all needed to be here to see this happen. Both Jon and Val looked regal as they stood together, and neither of them was bleeding, so Arya was glad that she hadn't tried to kill him as soon as he proposed a marriage alliance. Arya reached over and took Gendry's hand into hers and held on tightly. The decision these two made was going to shape the North for the rest of time, and Arya wasn't sure which decision scared her more.

+++

Jon walked down from the solar with Val and wondered just how they were going to approach this. It was strange to go down and announce to a bunch of people that were getting married to a stranger, but this was the choice he made when he let Arya, Sansa, and Bran stay with their partners. This was the choice he was making to avoid open war with Free Folk again, which was just the last thing he wanted. That didn't make it any less strange when they opened the doors and walked down the steps where everyone was watching them carefully. He glanced at Val, and she nodded. She had made this decision the same as he did, and she seemed to understand what was at stake.

"Good people," Jon said. "While I believe you're waiting for me to give this announcement, I actually believe it is in the best interests of Val of the Free Folk to make this important announcement concerning the North." Val blinked and stared at him like she wasn't expecting him to let her make this announcement, but Jon very much meant it when he said he wanted them to be equals, and she was the one who was giving up a lot for this alliance.

"King Jon and I are worried about the future of the North," Val said, her voice commanding as everyone in Winterfell turned to look at her. "We Free Folk are still seen as foreigners, and we believe that it is only a matter of time before there is an all-out war between our people yet again. I do not want more bloodshed, and neither does King Jon. We discussed it, and we believe the best way to keep our people from going to war is to make a real and formal alliance between the Crown and the Free Folk. We believe that the best way for the Free Folk to truly be seen as allies of the crown while remaining their own people is through a marriage alliance. We believe this will make the North stronger by making us allies in every sense of the word, but it will also bring peace to our people from now on. That is why, as the leader of the Free Folk, I Val, a Free Woman, have willingly decided to enter into marriage with King Jon." There was a beat of silence, and then everyone began to talk over each other at the exact same time. Jon held up a hand, and everyone fell silent.

"I have lived among the Free Folk, and I would like to assure you that I will continue to respect your traditions and culture. No one from Westeros will try to change who you are or how you live. It's through marriage that I believe we can keep the peace," Jon said as he glanced at Val. "I would also like you all to know that while I presented why I believe this is the right decision, I would never force a woman to marry me."

"If you all respect me as much as you have said you do in the past, then respect the decision I have made for our people," Val said in a tone that brokered no discussion and made Jon smile a little to himself. She reached over and took his hand into hers. "To a new age of peace in the North and new alliance between our people." There were cheers throughout Winterfell, and while Jon could see that some people still looked a little uneasy, Jon promised himself that he would do everything he could to prove to the Free Folk that they could continue to live as they always have. Minus any raiding parties and attempts to steal a man or woman that is not already a member of the Free Folk. Val turned and looked at Jon but did not let go of his hand. "Jon, I would like to request a little time to gather my things."

"Take the time you need," Jon replied. "I have many ravens to send out my allies before they hear about this through rumors." He hesitated because this was something that Val might not be okay with. "I believe that a quick wedding would be best for both of us."

"I agree and was about to suggest the same thing," Val replied. "It's only a matter of time before someone attacks us, and the faster we get married, the faster we can prevent any bloodshed. We spoke about banning raiding parties and stealing of people that aren't already members of the Free Folk, which I will implement while I'm away. They will obey those laws, I promise. When I return, we'll begin to get ready for our wedding."

"Unfortunately, the wedding of a monarch does require some people to come, or it will be seen a slight," Jon explained, and Val blinked. "My allies in the south; several of them will want to come to the wedding, and they need time to get here."

"I understand, but I would like to know the ways of your castle before allies arrive," Val replied, and she smiled, which Jon could not help, but notice was a lovely smile. "They're already going to think you're marrying a savage barbarian. I don't want to prove them right." Jon smiled and released her hand.

"You're the salvage barbarian marrying the upstart bastard," Jon said. "What a King and Queen we're going to make."

"What a pair indeed," Val replied. "I will return in a sennight." Jon nodded, and he walked up to Arya, Gendry, Sansa, Theon, Bran, and Meera that all congratulated him for the alliance and for his upcoming wedding. Jon had no idea what he was supposed to do with comments like that, and he accepted the hug that Tormund gave him as gracefully as he could. He watched as Val rode off and wondered what it was going to be like when she returned.

+++

Arya helped Sansa craft the letters that would be sent to all of the various Great Houses, explaining that the wedding was happening in two months' time, and they were invited. They sent ravens down to Riverrun, to King's Landing, to Storm's End, the Vale, the Iron Isles, and waited for responses from them. Sansa looked a little worried as they kept writing "two months" because it didn't give people a lot of time to make their way to the North.

"Jon needs to have Daenerys and Yara here when he gets married," Sansa said. "They have to be here, or it would be seen as some sort of slight."

"We should be planning for your wedding," Jon said from his side of the table as he continued to write all of the scrolls. While Arya and Sansa were working on the scrolls for their allies in the south, who wouldn't have a problem reading a letter with Sansa's signature, Jon was sending out the notice to the Houses in the North which was going to be interesting. Arya couldn't imagine that many of them were going to be happy about this, but they all agreed that Jon would be the King when he was officially named a Stark. They had to follow his rule, whether they liked it or not. Arya wasn't sure how she felt about this whole thing; Meera and Theon weren't strangers, so it was easy to welcome them into the pack. Val was a stranger, though, and Arya didn't know how she felt about her favorite brother marrying a stranger.

"Are you sure you can trust her?" Arya asked one night three days after the announcement. They were getting one of the rooms in the family wing ready for Val since Jon seemed pretty convinced that she wouldn't want to share his bed every night.

"Tormund does, and I trust Tormund," Jon replied. They were starting to get responses from the lesser houses that all seemed to have an opinion on the matter that they wanted to share but kept saying how they would be there for the wedding. Sansa mentioned that the tone of the responses made it sound like these people were only coming out of obligation or because they thought something dramatic was going to happen. Jon looked up from the scrolls he was reading when Arya didn't say anything else, and he frowned. "What's wrong?"

"I don't like letting a stranger into our pack," she replied. "We know who Meera and Theon were, and I had known Gendry for years before I brought him. We don't know her, what if she tries to hurt you?"

"She's a leader who cares about the well being of her people above all else, which is something I can understand. She just wants people safe, Arya, which I think is something you can understand too," Jon replied, which wasn't the answer Arya wanted, but it was the one she got.

Val arrived a few days later with a few bags strapped to her horse and not much else. Jon was out to greet her while everyone else waited in the Great Hall. Arya chewed on her thumb until Gendry knocked his shoulder into hers and raised both of his eyebrows. Arya thought she was justified in being nervous. The doors opened, and Val walked in with Jon, and she looked profoundly uncomfortable. Sansa was on her feet and stepped forward.

"Formally, you should be known as Lady Val, but we aren't formal in our family, so I believe Val will just do," Sansa said as she offered a hand for Val to shake. "My name is Sansa; I'm Jon's older sister and his Hand to the King."

"Pleasure to meet you," Val replied. "Though I don't really know what a Hand to the King does." Sansa smiled like that information delighted her to hear. She went around the room to introduce everyone, and Val got a strange look in her eye when she saw Meera and Bran, but Arya didn't say anything. She shook hands, and Arya could see the multiple daggers on her belt. Gendry did too, and he asked about them. Val seemed a little taken back that Gendry would ask her about her weapons.

"May I see one of them?" he asked. "I'm a blacksmith, and I'm just curious about what kind of weapons they used beyond the wall."

"Whatever we could steal," Val said, but she handed one of the blades over to Gendry for him to look over.

"I wanted to tell you all something else," Jon said, and Arya held her breath because this couldn't be good. "One of the conditions of our marriage was that our children won't be raised as princesses or princes. We all know that the North wants the next king or queen to be a child of Ned Stark and not Lyanna, and because of this, I will name Bran and Meera's son or daughter as my heir. Any children Val and I have will be members of the kingsguard or the queensguard."

"We are adopting the Dornish model of inheritance?" Sansa asked.

"Dany has insisted it be implemented throughout the south, and so has Yara, I don't see why we would be any different," Jon replied like that wasn't a huge thing, like he wasn't making women lesser in the North anymore. Arya smiled and thought about the days when she used to think about running her old holdfast and how it would be possible for the women of the North to have that opportunity. Gendry handed Val back her dagger.

"I can make you anything you want," he said. Val nodded and looked around the room at all of them. She didn't trust them, Arya could tell, but she was going to be family, so they needed to all get used to each other the best they could.

+++

Val was not used to the ways of Westeros, and she seemed to be extremely uncomfortable at first. Arya didn't want her to be; she might not trust this woman, but she could relate about being in a strange place surrounded by people you weren't sure you could trust. It was probably a good thing that all of them weren't very good at being ladies. Arya knew she wasn't a proper lady, and she continued to train with Brienne, who was still Sansa's sworn shield. Meera might be pregnant and wearing dresses because they were more comfortable, but she could still put a spear through a man's eye from very far away. As for Sansa, she might seem like a proper lady to those that first met her, but Arya knew that her sister was a wolf, and despite having no weapons training, Sansa was the one who would bear her teeth at anyone that threatened them.

One morning, three days after Val arrived, Arya walked up to her as they were all breaking their fast. Val blinked and seemed to tense as soon as Arya got close. If there was anyone, Val seemed the most uncomfortable with it was her, and Arya wondered if she recognized a fellow warrior.

"When you fight, do you fight with your daggers?" Arya asked, and Val stared. She looked around like she expected someone to say something about this not being proper table conversation, but Arya didn't care, and it was just family here. They didn't need to perform; they could just be themselves.

"Yes, I would say daggers are my preferred weapon," Val replied carefully.

"I don't have a lot of experience with a dagger, could you teach me?" Arya asked. Val stared like she was waiting for the punchline of a joke and glanced at Jon, who was blatantly listening in on the conversation.

"It's not a trick," Jon assured her. "Arya is a warrior, and a good warrior wants to know how to use every possible weapon. She wants to learn. I can promise you that."

"Very well, I'd like to teach you how to fight, Arya," Val replied. The two of them walked outside, but Arya gestured for Val to follow her to the forge. "Why are we going to the forge?"

"I asked Gendry to make me a dagger two days ago, and I need to go pick it up. I don't have a good one to learn to fight with," Arya replied. Val nodded, and the two of them walked through Winterfell as people gave them strange looks. Val wasn't in her furs anymore but warm leather pants, a tunic, and a cloak. Her hair was still in the same braids with twists of cloth in them. There were hints of her Free Folk heritage all over her more conventionally Northern clothing.

"I'm getting the impression that all of the ladies in Winterfell are not exactly what one would call a proper lady by Westeros customs," Val said.

"Yes, that would be true, we're all very different and nothing like the good southern ladies that are in some of the other houses," Arya replied. "The thing is, no one expects you to be a good proper lady. Not even Sansa, who wanted nothing more than to be a good lady when we were kids, is a proper lady now."

"No, your sister would tear a man's throat out with her teeth if they threatened any of you," Val replied, and she smiled to herself. "I just don't know what kind of queen I should be to help everyone."

"Be yourself," Arya said with a shrug. "Be a warrior queen; we could use one in the North, or don't if that's what you want. You care about people, and I think that's the most important thing. You're giving up your own freedom to keep people safe; that makes you pretty amazing in my book already."

"Thank you, that means a lot," Val said, and Arya could tell that it really did. They pushed open the forge, and Gendry looked up from a scroll that he was reading.

"What did you get?" Arya asked.

"A request for some jewelry from Ellaria in Dorne," he replied, and Arya raised both of her eyebrows. It was one thing to make things for people who were basically family, but Gendry hadn't ever gotten a request from someone that they barely knew. "Apparently, she saw Daenerys' crown and thought it was "exquisite" according to this letter and wants me to make a few pieces for her and her daughters. The materials are already on the way, and if I don't want to, I can just send them back."

"Is it common for our allies to make requests like this?" Val asked, which was a legitimate question to ask. Gendry blinked and smiled softly.

"No, this is a little unusual, but there hasn't ever been a blacksmith that is part of the royal family before, so we're all kind of making it up as we go along," Gendry replied. "I like designing things, and I would be honored to design the crown you'll be wearing someday."

"He made the one that Jon wears too," Arya said, and she was so proud of her husband. "All three of the monarchs in Westeros wear crowns designed by Gendry's hands, and they are all stunning." Arya always did enjoy making Gendry blush.

"I finished your dagger," he said and handed the blade to her. Val looked it over, and she seemed impressed.

"If you made this in a few days, I would love to see what you make when you have time. This is far better quality than the weapons we stole from armories where men put lots of time into their blades," Val said, and Gendry flushed again.

"Thank you," Gendry said with a bow of his head. Arya kissed him on the cheek, and the two of them walked out to the training yard. Arya was not surprised to find Brienne there but Sansa and Meera as well. Val stared at the three of them and then glanced at Arya, and she shrugged. She had no idea what was going on.

"I heard that we're beginning dagger lessons," Sansa said, and Arya noticed that Sansa was wearing her plainest dress and comfortable looking shoes. She was dressed to get dirty and fight, which was strange to see in her sister. Meera was pregnant but was still standing tall and looked ready. "I've seen too much bloodshed, and I need to learn to defend myself. I believe a dagger would be the best weapon for me, and I would love to learn from another woman."

"Very well, ladies," Val said. Sansa borrowed a dagger from Theon, Arya could see the kraken on the handle, and Meera had her own blade. Val pulled her weapon and began to teach all of them how to hold it properly and began to work on footwork. Arya was smiling as she watched Meera almost lose her balance because of the baby or how easily Sansa picked up on the footwork because of her experience dancing. They were all smiling and laughing when the lesson ended.

+++

Two weeks into Val living in Winterfell, Jon asked her if she would take dinner with him alone in his solar. She agreed, and she seemed calm and confident as the servants brought them their dinner.

"I'm settling in well," Val said as soon as they were alone. "I knew that's why you wanted us to eat alone. You wanted to know if I'm settling in okay, and I think I am. This is very different from what I'm used to, but your sisters and everyone have been trying to help me settle in."

"I was concerned I won't lie to you," Jon said as they ate.

"I don't know what kind of queen the Northerners want, but if I try to be the person they want me to be, I won't be able to help, and I want to help," Val said as she took a sip of wine. "They will always look at me strangely because of where I came from, so why should I try to be different from them? I'm their queen, and no amount of scorning is going to change that."

"That's a lesson I'm still learning myself," Jon admitted as he took another drink. They finished dinner and settled down in front of the fire with the wine and passed it back and forth. It was the first time they really got the chance to talk to each other about something that wasn't the North. Jon told her about being raised a bastard and how Catelyn despised him for it. Val told him about losing her family to raids and then to the White Walkers. She talked about seeing the Free Folk suffer and wanting to do something about it now that the Night King was gone. They talked well into the night, and Jon found that he really didn't mind her company.

They were both a little drunk by the time he walked her back to her room, but they were both smiling and laughing. It was the happiest Jon had seen Val since she arrived at Winterfell, which was a relief. Val opened the door to her rooms and turned around to look at Jon carefully. She was leaning against the door frame, and she reached forward to push a lock of Jon's hair behind his ear, and he froze.

"I don't think I'll mind being married to you, Jon Snow," Val said.

"I don't think I will mind being married to you either," Jon replied even if it felt like the wine was impacting him more than it should.

"I think we will do good things together for both of our people," she said, and Jon nodded. They stared at each other for a moment before Jon managed to find his words.

"I know you're teaching my sisters, Meera, and Brienne how to use a dagger, but I would love to learn too if you're amenable," he said. Val studied him for a moment and then nodded.

"Only if you teach me how to use a sword in return," she said, and Jon grinned.

"Consider it a deal." They shook on it, and Jon bid her goodnight. As he lay awake that night thinking about being married so little time, Jon found that he wasn't as worried as he thought he would be. He agreed with Val, he did believe that they were going to do great things for their people, and his wish of being friends with his wife felt like it was coming true. He didn't know what more a king could ask for.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Gendry knew that people from all over Westeros were going to come to the wedding because not attending or not being invited would be seen as some sort of insult. So he wasn't surprised when he found out that Edmure was going to come and Arya's cousin from the Vale was going to make the trip. Yara sent back a raven saying that she was on her way while making some snide comment about how she should be visiting for Theon's wedding as well. They got a letter from Edric saying that he couldn't leave, but either Bella or Mya were going to arrive. The invitation that could have gone over exceptionally poorly was Daenerys saying that she couldn't leave King's Landing yet. Several positions needed to be filled before they could come. The Lannister's that were running the Westerlands also didn't reply at all, and the Martell's apparently said that things weren't great there either, but Ellaria said that she was sending several cases of Dornish Red which was going to make things interesting by the end of the party.

Of all the people to arrive first, Missandei, coming on behalf of Daenerys, was not the one that Gendry expected, yet there was a full three weeks before the wedding. She was wrapped in warm furs, and she didn't look thrilled to be in the North again, but she greeted them with warm smiles nevertheless.

"Missandei," Sansa said as she walked down and bowed to the woman deeply. Val and Jon walked out to greet her and Gendry privately thought that Val was doing a pretty good job of learning how to stare down these nobles. She was terrifying in the same way that all of the women in Winterfell seemed to be terrifying. "We weren't expecting you so soon."

"My Queen flew me to the border where I borrowed a horse from one of your Bannerman, and he offered to escort me here," Missandei replied with a bow. "My Lady Val, it's lovely to meet you, I am Missandei of Naath, and it is a pleasure to meet you. I am the close confidant of Queen Daenerys, and she sends her apologies that she was not able to come to this wedding herself."

"I understand the concept of an unstable kingdom where a ruler cannot leave," Val said, which was what Missandei was saying beneath all of her pretty words, and Gendry smirked to himself as he watched the exchange. Missadei looked a little surprised but then smiled.

"Please, come inside," Jon said.

"I'm actually early for a reason," Missandei said. "My Queen is quite worried about Rhaegal and would like me to go and see how he is adapting to the North and that everything is going well." There were only a few people who could go and see Rhaegal without it ending poorly. Bran and Meera could go, but Rhaegal reacted to Meera being pregnant the same Nymeria did, and that could end badly. Jon was far too busy planning and getting ready for the wedding to take the day trip, which really only left one person who could approach the dragon without getting burned alive.

"I can take you, Lady Missandei," Gendry said, and Missandei smiled brilliantly at him like she knew that he was going to be the one to take him to see the dragon. "You'll need your horse; it isn't exactly close."

"Of course," Missandei replied. The two of them rode out of Winterfell not long after, and Jon mouthed a 'thank you' as he hurried back into Winterfell to keep planning with Val. Gendry waved off any additional guards since he didn't need the extra protection, but Ghost was apparently in a mood and followed the two of them out of Winterfell. "Does he get along with the direwolves?"

"We haven't seen any problems so far, but we did learn something new," Gendry said, and he was glad it was just the two of them because he could be a little less formal. Missandei was a good woman who wouldn't accept anything informal with Daenerys but tended to calm down a little around other people. "Meera is pregnant, and Rhaegal reacted very strongly in the same way we've seen Nymeria respond."

"Are you telling me that Rhaegal could sense the pregnancy?" Missandei asked after a beat of silence because he could only assume that this was information that Daenerys did not have.

"That seems to be the case," Gendry said as they rode up to the cave where Rhaegal was. Some bones were lying on the ground from the animals that people brought to feed him and the ones that he hunted. Gendry climbed off his horse and offered Missandei a hand to help her off of hers as well. "You know how they are; stay close until we know how he's going to react to you. It's been a long time since he's seen you."

"Of course," Missandei replied as she looped her arm into Gendry's, and they walked toward the cave. Rhaegal walked out, his wing still ruined, and he sniffed the air as they approached.

"You know us," Gendry said as he held up a hand. Ghost, wisely, stayed back by the horses who were spooking a little from the giant dragon. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ghost acting like a sheepdog to keep the horses from running away. Missandei was tense as his side, but Gendry was doing his best to keep himself calm because it always seemed to go better when he was calm. Rhaegal allowed them to approach, and Gendry placed a hand on his warm nose. Rhaegal huffed out a breath that made Missandei laugh softly as she touched him as well. The two of them stood there in silence, just giving Rhaegal some attention until it was time for them to leave. They didn't have any food to give him, but Gendry could feel it in his bones that Rhaegal was satisfied as he walked into his cave.

"She's very worried about him," Missandei whispered as they watched the dragon. "I can only assume he would go to her if he could." They climbed back onto their horses and began to make their way back to Winterfell.

"He can glide short distances, but that's it, and it seems to take a lot out of him," Gendry replied. "I don't see a cart taking him south ending well, the same with a boat, so I'm not sure what else to do. I've been thinking about that wing and if there was a way for me to help him fly again, but things have been busy, and I just haven't had the time to think about it."

"I shall tell Her Grace that you are considering that. She would send you any supplies or money that you would need to make it happen," Missandei replied, but Gendry shook his head.

"I don't know if it's possible, and I don't want her to get her hopes up, but if I need something, I'll be sure to ask," Gendry said, and Missandei watched him carefully.

"You are a rare man, Gendry Stark, a very rare man. I hope you realize that someday," Missandei said. Gendry didn't know what he was supposed to say to something like that, so he said nothing. The two of them made idle small talk as they walked back to Winterfell. As they rode on Gendry swore, he could feel Rhaegal watching him, and he kept glancing over his shoulder, expecting the dragon to be there. He knew his connection to the beast wasn't as strong as Jon or Bran, but there was no denying that he felt something for Rhaegal.

+++

Jon was going a little out of his mind. While Bran and Meera's wedding was a lot of planning and asking people to come to the ceremony, he also knew that a lot of people wouldn't come because there wasn't enough time or resources. Now things were different, and he needed to find space in the castle for Robin and Edmure and everyone else who was coming to see him get married. Val didn't have any immediate family, but several clan members of the Free Folk were planning on coming as well. Jon just had to make sure that there was enough space for everyone to sleep.

He was a little sad that Edric said he wasn't going to be able to come. He adored that young man, and Jon wanted to see how he was doing with running Storm's End. However, going from that far south to the North was a big ask, and he knew that being away that long after only holding his title for so little time was not a smart decision. Still, Jon wanted to see him but was still glad when Baratheon's banners appeared, and Bella jumped off of her horse to hug Sansa. Bella looked like a princess in her black and gold dress and Stark grey furs that they gave her what felt like half a lifetime ago.

Bella insisted on taking part in the dressmaking, which seemed to surprise Val, but Jon explained that Bella was a lady like Sansa or Arya was a lady, unconventional in the best possible way. Jon was glad to hear that things were going well in Storm's End and that Davos was looking out for all of the Baratheon's. Gendry smiled brightly for the first time in what felt like a lifetime when his big sister arrived, and Arya seemed happier as well. Val seemed bemused but enjoyed the company of yet another unconventional lady.

Things got a little more difficult as the wedding date approached, and Edmure and Roslin appeared, which was the first time Val met a proper lady. She seemed a bit uneasy about it, but Roslin was a good woman who would keep her judgments to herself in the worst-case scenario. Val didn't like Robin at all, but Jon didn't really blame her; his cousin was a bit of a prick, and Sansa very much agreed. She said Robin held nothing but bad memories of her time in the Vale.

The night before the wedding, when half of the Lesser Houses had arrived, and the other half would be there by the morning, Jon knew it was time to put his plan into action. He was getting married in the Godswood with a Northern ceremony, but Val was not of the North and didn't keep the Old Gods the way that he did. He told her that he would honor her customs, and that meant it was time to try and steal his bride.

Jon crept down the hallway as quietly as he could, knowing that if he woke up any of his siblings, his plan would be ruined. He wasn't sure how he was going to get Val back to his room without things getting awkward and even more so if he needed to bind her hands. People would be confused, but he wanted to honor her the best he could. She was in one of the family rooms though most of her things were in his room now since she would be moving in tomorrow. Jon pushed the door to her room open and readied himself for a fight because he knew that Val wouldn't come easily or silently.

Instead, Jon was met with an open window and an empty room. He wondered if she had gotten cold feet and decided that escaping was the best course of action. Jon didn't entirely blame her if that was the case. This was a lot for anyone, and he understood. He turned around and began to walk back to his room, intent on getting some sleep for some awkward conversations to occur in the morning. Jon was about to open his door when it opened, and Val was about to walk out with a line of rope in her hands. They both looked at the rope in their hands, and Val shook her head.

"Were you coming to steal me?" Val asked as she walked back into his room. Jon closed the door and thought about locking it since if anyone came in, they would have words to say about a man and a woman being alone in a bedroom before they were married. Not that anyone in Winterfell who married would care, but Jon didn't feel like dealing with the Lesser Houses who thought they knew better.

"I did promise to honor your customs," Jon replied. "Can I assume that you were coming to steal me too?"

"I very much was," Val said, "and I still intend to." She was fast on her feet, but Jon had sparred with Arya plenty of times in the last couple of years. He moved out of the way and quickly locked the door so no one would come in. It appeared that Val managed to get into his room through the window, which was kind of distracting with how amazing it was. Jon didn't mind the idea of being stolen, but he also knew that letting Val win would be an insult. So he fought back with everything he had, and they even broke a table in their struggle. It eventually ended with his hands bound and him pinned to the floor by Val. She was straddling his waist and looking down at him with her brilliant blue eyes, and they were both breathing hard. "Looks like I stole myself a King."

"That you did," Jon replied, and he felt a little breathless as they both lay there staring at each other. "A King who is willingly allowing himself to be stolen the same way he hopes his future Queen is allowing herself to be stolen as well."

"You should be a poet with all of those pretty words," Val said, and she was smiling.

"So says the woman who declared to me that I convinced a free woman to steal herself," Jon said, and they were both smiling now. Val laughed softly and removed the ropes from his wrist. She pushed herself to her feet and offered Jon a hand to help him stand. He took it, but they didn't release each other, and they were standing very close. "Tradition dictates tomorrow that we kiss in front of all of our guests."

"I know," Val replied. "Will there be a bedding ceremony? I've heard the women talking about such a thing, and it sounds barbaric."

"It is, and there won't be," Jon assured. "But I told you that I wanted our marriage to be a friendship, a partnership, above all else. We're going to be King and Queen, so we aren't going to have a lot for ourselves. I was wondering if you wanted to share our first--" Val apparently didn't need him to finish his sentence because she leaned forward and closed the distance between them. It wasn't a heated kiss, but it was hardly chaste either. There was a twist in his gut that he hadn't felt since Ygritte died, and he very much wanted to wrap his arms around Val and pull her closer. This wasn't the time for that, and she pulled away after a few moments.

"A first kiss in private," Val whispered. "You are a romantic deep down, aren't you, Jon Snow?"

"For a long time, the idea of being with someone was something I only got to think about in the context of stories, so I guess I am. Does that make me the swooning maiden in our marriage?" Jon asked.

"I believe it does," Val replied. She leaned forward and kissed his cheek as she turned and walked out of the room. Jon watched her go and didn't miss the slight flush on her cheeks or the way she was hesitating just a little as she walked out of the room. Jon could see the slight red marks on his wrists and went to bed with a smile on his face.

+++

Jon woke up the next morning and realized that he was getting married. He was the King in the North, and he was getting married to the woman who was leading the Free Folk to solidify an alliance between their people. Their marriage was going to change the way that people looked at the Free Folk for the rest of time, and Jon was having a hard time coming to terms with that idea. He stayed in bed for as long as he could until Sansa showed up and told him to get his ass out of bed in no uncertain terms. Jon did as she asked because it was usually best to let Sansa do as she wanted.

"I'm sure you don't want me here for this, so I'm sending up Bran, Gendry, and anyone else you would like to spend some time with," Sansa said, and Jon noticed the dark circles under her eyes and that she looked like she hadn't slept.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yes, Bella and I were just up most of the night stitching your request into Val's dress. I wish you would have given me more notice about that but, even with more notice, I needed a second set of hands, and no one knows how to stitch like Bella Baratheon. Truly a woman after my own heart," Sansa said, and she waved off the rest of the conversation. "I'm going to spend the day with Val and make sure everything is going well."

"I think it will," Jon said as he thought back to the night before and how they were technically already together because she stole him, but Jon had a feeling that Sansa wouldn't take that information well. They needed to make sure this was public, so everyone knew that this was a real marriage and a real alliance. If Jon walked into a room with Val and said, they were married because she stole him, people would question it, which was the last thing he wanted. Sansa nodded and walked out of the room. Jon's clothes were set aside, and he really had all day to kill. One of the girls from the kitchen brought him breakfast, and Bran and Gendry appeared not long after that.

"I hope you're not going to ask me for advice," Gendry said as they sat around his room a few hours later. They were passing around a wineskin and doing an excellent job of remaining at least mostly sober because Jon was not going to fuck this up. However, his hands were shaking, and he was worried.

"You never really told me how you two got married," Jon said.

"I'd say spite played a pretty big role since we knew it would be the last thing that Cersei wanted," Gendry said, and Bran choked on his drink. "She asked Thoros if he would marry us before she asked me if memory serves, and we found this little Heart Tree in the middle of the Riverlands. I'm fairly sure Thoros was drunk, we exchanged cloaks even though she promised to give me the Stark name someday, and that was it."

"This is all spectacle," Bran said. "But it's an important spectacle, and it's for the good of the North. That's how I felt more or less though I knew Meera more than you know Val."

"She seems like a good woman," Jon said softly. "If nothing else, I think we'll be good friends someday soon, and that's more than most King's can get from their Queens." They were all thinking of Robert and Cersei. The rest of the day was spent talking about any other than marriage and women, and it was nice. Jon loved spending time with his little brother and his good brother. It settled his nerves, and he wasn't nervous when the sun went down, and they all made their way down to the godswood. The lanterns lined the walkway, and Jon could feel his crown on his head. Gendry had spent the last six weeks designing a crown for Val as well, and Jon hoped that she didn't hate it.

He looked up when everyone began to settle and saw her approaching. Val had her hair done up in intricate braids on top of her head. Her dress was a simple light grey with wide sleeves lined with dark fur that looked like it came from the furs she wore when she first arrived at Winterfell. What made it beautiful was the shadow of a mountain range that Sansa and Bella spent the last night sewing. It was the Frostfangs, and judging from the way Val was smiling, she knew that. Tormund was walking with her, and they had spoken about a different ceremony for their wedding. Tormund grinned and kissed Val's hand before stepping aside. Val was not a woman to be given away; she was giving herself to Jon of her own free will. It was going to make some of the more traditional Northern houses upset, but Jon always promised to honor her independence. Bran was the one performing the ceremony, and he was grinning.

"Who comes before the Old Gods this night?" Bran asked.

"Val of the Free Folk comes here to be wed. A woman grown, a warrior, and a leader. I come to beg the blessing of the Gods. Who comes to claim me?" Val asked.

"Jon, of House Stark, the King in the North. Who gives her?" Jon asked.

"She gives herself," Val replied, and Jon ignored the way people were talking behind them. He made sure that he only had eyes for his bride.

"Lady Val, do you take this man?" Bran asked.

"I take this man," Val replied, and they both hesitated for a moment. Val nodded slightly, and Jon closed the distance between them. The kiss was soft, and they were both smiling when they pulled away. "Your sister told me you asked her to put these mountains on the dress," Val whispered so only he could hear. "They are the Frostfangs."

"I promised that I would honor your heritage the best I could," Jon whispered back, and there were cheers throughout the godswood. The North officially had a new queen.

+++

The feast was exactly what Jon thought it would be, which meant it was kind of insane. There were so many people, and he was waiting for more than one fistfight to break out. In fact, there was one moment where he thought that Sansa and Arya were going to take care of House Dustin right at that moment personally. House Dustin who was seated as far away from the main table as possible and close to the door if and when they decided that leaving was the best idea. After everyone had drunk and ate, Gendry walked forward and placed a box in front of Jon. He smiled and stood up, calling for silence.

"Friends and allies, I thank you all for coming to see my marriage to Val of the Free Folk. As my wife and the Queen in the North, I asked our master blacksmith and my good brother Ser Gendry Stark to make her a crown. I would like you all to see me crown the Queen in the North before you," Jon said. He helped Val walk around the table, and she knelt in front of him with her bowed. Jon opened the box and revealed the crown. It was shining steel the same way his own crown was and lines with dragonglass. There was a wolf on end, but the tail turned once again into the Frostfang mountains, and the outline of the world beyond the Wall would sit on Val's head. She saw the mountains, and she smiled as Jon placed the crown on her head. He offered her a hand, and they stood hand in hand in front of everyone.

"My friends, with this marriage, may peace reign down between the North and the Free Folk for generations to come," Val said, and she raised their clasped hands into the air. "To peace!" The room erupted in cheers, and Jon could see Sansa openly weeping and Tormund trying to do his best to hide that he was crying just as hard.

They didn't stay much longer than that because Jon knew that people were going to call for a bedding if they didn't leave soon, and the last thing he wanted was for Val to punch out the Lord of a Lesser House mere hours after becoming Queen. They walked together through Winterfell as everyone behind them continued to carry on celebrating. Jon opened the door for her, and they walked into the bedroom that they would be sharing from now on. There was another room with another bed off to the side if Val ever wanted her own bed, and Jon planned on keeping his promise never to take her to bed if she didn't want it.

"It's strange to feel this crown on my head," Val said as they both sat down at a table. She took it off and set it down so she could look at it. "The Frostfangs again, you know I'm going to sleep with you tonight regardless, Jon. You don't need to butter me up."

"I'm the swooning maiden, remember," Jon replied as he sat down and poured them both a glass of wine. Val began to take her hair down from the braids, and Jon watched her carefully. She was really quite beautiful, and in the low candlelight and the moonlight from the window, she looked almost ethereal. Vall ran her fingers through her hair and looked up to see him watching her. She blushed a little and stood.

"Shall we?" she asked and offered him a hand. Jon took it, and they walked toward the bed. He hadn't been with a woman since Ygritte, and he never asked Val if she had any experience with men. If this was her first time, he was going to do his damndest to make sure that it was pleasant at the very least. Val turned around, and Jon began to undo the buttons to her dress. She turned and began to undo the buttons to his jerkin as they both undressed each other carefully. Jon was down to his breeches and Val to her thin shift when he reached forward and cupped her cheek.

"May I?" he asked.

"You may," she replied, and they kissed. It started soft, but it didn't stay that way long. Jon wrapped his arms around her and pulled Val closer, so they were touching. She opened her mouth, and Jon finally got to taste her for the first time. She tasted like the wine they'd been drinking with dinner and something that he couldn't put a name to. It was good, and it was more than he ever thought he would get from a woman. Val reached down and began to unlace his breeches as they both shed the last of their layers. She threaded her fingers through his hair, and when she pulled Jon, nearly blacked out with lust.

Jon didn't want to stop kissing her, but they needed to get onto the bed. Val moaned when he bit down on her bottom lip, and that was a sound that Jon wanted to hear again. He trailed his hands down her body until he found where she was warm and already wet between her legs.

"I've been with a man before," Val whispered against his lips. "I know Westeros men think that leave a woman ruined but--"

"You're not ruined," Jon said as he slipped a finger into her. "You feel perfect to me." Val snorted a laugh and pulled him down for another kiss. Jon knew all about getting his mouth on a woman, but he wasn't sure if tonight was the right time. He began to circle the spot that Ygritte showed him, and Val gasped against his mouth. Jon began to kiss along her jaw until he got to her neck and decided that leaving a mark on his new bride would probably look good to the people but might not be what she wanted. He moved further down to her shoulder and sucked a bruised into the skin there where he knew it would be hidden. Val moaned, and he felt her clench around his fingers.

Val yanked him up for another kiss as Jon settled between her legs. He looked into her eyes, asking a silent question, and she nodded. She felt like heaven, and Jon sort of loved the feeling of her nails digging into his shoulders. They were both on edge from a long day, and Jon knew he wasn't going to last long. As he moved in and out of her, he reached between Val's legs and touched that spot again. She gasped and moaned loudly as she clenched down around him. It only took a few more moments before Jon fell over the edge, Val pulling him into a kiss to capture his moans.

He was tired and all but collapsed next to her as they lay side by side, trying to catch their breath. Their hands were close, but they weren't touching each other anymore.

"Not a hardship at all," Val said, and Jon buried his face in the pillow to shake with laughter. When he opened his eyes, Val was looking at him, and she began to laugh as well. This was the best possible outcome Jon could have wanted for this. He thought about Ned and Cat, how they built love out of being strangers and a sense of duty, and hoped that he could someday do the same with Val. For now? This was enough, and they laughed as their hands moved closer, and their pinkies were touching.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Arya watched as Jon and Val walked out of the room just as people were getting rowdy enough to try and demand a bedding which they were not going to do. She turned her attention to House Dustin and how they were eyeing the door like they wanted to leave despite the sun already being down and that not being in their best interest. Ryon looked up from his food and flinched when he realized that she was watching him. Arya didn't want to think about House Dustin; she didn't want to think about anything right now, which meant it was time to get out of here. She turned to Sansa and put a hand on her sister's arm.

"Do you have a handle on things here?" she asked.

"I do, why? Are you abandoning me? You know that Bran and Meera won't stay much longer," Sansa said, but she was smiling.

"You're hardly alone. Bella, Yara, and Missandei can scare half of the men here into shitting their breeches without lifting a finger," Arya replied, and Sansa laughed. It was nice to see her sister smiling, and Theon even seemed to be enjoying himself as he spoke to Yara and Bella with what looked like enthusiasm. Gendry was smiling as he sat near his sister and listened to the conversation, but he didn't seem that keen to be part of it. Arya just didn't want to think anymore and wanted some time alone with her husband because tomorrow Bella was going to insist on the three of them spending time together.

"Have a good night," Sansa said with a nod. Arya walked over to Gendry and touched his arm. He looked at her and immediately excused himself. She took his hand and led him up the halls to her room and closed the door behind her. Arya immediately threw her arms around his neck and kissed him within an inch of his life. Gendry slid his tongue into her mouth, and Arya didn't fight when he easily picked her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist and held on for dear life.

Arya tugged on his coal-black hair, which was long enough now that she could pull a handful of it. Gendry used to wear his hair short, but much like everyone else in the North, he was growing it out because it was warmer. It wasn't as long as Jon's, and he didn't need to pull it up, but Arya liked something that she could get her hands into. Gendry laid her down on their bed and began to kiss along her jawline to her neck. Arya didn't usually like Gendry to leave marks, but right now, she needed people to know that they were still together.

"Do it, please," she whispered. "I want people to see that I am yours, and you are mine." Gendry didn't suck a bruise into her skin; he bit her, and Arya yelped because he hadn't ever done that before. She didn't think anything could make her want him more, but right now, she wanted him more than anything. Gendry pressed a kiss to the bite, and they began to remove their clothes as quickly as possible. Arya barely had her breeches off when Gendry pushed her legs apart and pressed his mouth to her. Arya nearly arched off the bed and had to bite down on a fist to keep from screaming half of Winterfell down. He made her peak against his mouth, and Arya could taste herself on him when Gendry kissed her again.

As he slid into her, Arya found herself marveling at how she never got tired of this man. It didn't matter how many times they lay together; she always wanted him. She remembered hearing women talk about how the longer you were the married, the less sex you would have, but they had been together for a while now, and she still wanted him today as much as she did when they were barely adults. Arya held onto Gendry as they both chased release and thought about what she would do if someone tried to take this away from her, and Gendry wasn't going anywhere. She could see the devotion in his eyes every time they looked at each other. It made her feel secure that he would always love her.

They both peaked, and Arya let Gendry hold her as the sweat cooled on their bodies. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head as she pressed a kiss over his rapidly beating heart. She thought about how House Dustin was right downstairs, and they tried to take this from her. She thought about the bandits that attacked them when they went to the Iron Isles and how they could have taken him away from her.

"Missandei told me that Dany is worried about Rhaegal," Gendry said. "She wants him to come home to her, and if there were a way to carry him south, I think she would do it."

"I don't really see that working out in any possible way," Arya replied.

"Yeah, me neither, and that's the problem. I don't want her to try and have it backfire, and I'm also worried about the people who are unhappy that we're keeping a dragon in the North. I've heard the smallfolk say that it bothers them. Or I heard it when they didn't think I was fucking kitchen girls and didn't pelt me with rocks," Gendry replied, and Arya tightened her hold on him. She hated House Dustin for the resigned tone in Gendry's words like he thought that this was what he deserved when he didn't. He deserved so much more than this.

"So we need to figure out a way to get Rhaegal home that won't entail him accidentally burning down half of the Riverlands or catching the boat that is trying to get him home on fire, and he drowns," Arya said. She turned so she could look at Gendry and he had that look he sometimes got when he was thinking very hard about something. "You have an idea?"

"Maybe," Gendry replied. "I'll need some help and find someone who would be willing to work with me, but maybe. I don't want to tell Dany, though, because it probably isn't going to work." Arya kissed his jaw and settled back into his arms.

"It'll work," she said softly. They laid together for a little longer until she couldn't ignore what was between her legs anymore and used a chamber pot. There was a small bucket of water and a rag that she used to wipe the worst of the mess from her body and tossed the rag to Gendry. She touched the scars on her body and thought about the women that would be praying for a babe after lying with their husband like she just did. Arya stopped thinking about a babe being in her future a long time ago, but sometimes it nagged in the back of her mind, and she couldn't quite let it go. Gendry was watching her silently, and he thankfully didn't ask what she was thinking about when she climbed into bed. She didn't want to talk about it with him because it was just another reminder of what he was giving up to be with her. Arya closed her eyes, wrapped in Gendry's arms, and fell asleep.

+++

Most of the Lesser Houses left bright and early in the morning, and most of them looked hungover. Gendry noticed how much of the Dornish Red that Ellaria sent up for the wedding was gone and shook his head. The Free Folk were lingering, and Tormund drew him into a tight hug as soon as he saw him. Missandei was practically leaning against Bella, who looked a little green while Yara was smirking at both of them and looking right as rain. He shouldn't have been surprised that a Greyjoy could drink most of Westeros under the table.

He couldn't take his eyes off of the mark on Arya's neck, and she was displaying it proudly like she wanted all of Winterfell to know that they had sex last night. Maybe she did because it meant that people would think there weren't any problems in their marriage from the Tisa incident. Gendry was doing his best to deal with all of that, but he needed someone who knew how to work leather to do this plan for Daenerys, and he couldn't think of a single craftsman in the North that would want to work with him.

Sansa, Theon, Bran, and Meera were clearly sleeping in, but Jon and Val walked in. They were an interesting pair; it was clear that they had bonded more in the recent weeks leading up to the wedding, and he knew that they were friends. Now they were friends who had sex occasionally, and Gendry wondered what that could develop into. Arya was deadlier with a dagger now than she ever had been before, and now even Sansa looked like she could hold her own in a battle. He had watched them all training before, and it was nice to see. Gendry walked over and put a hand on Bella's shoulder.

"How are you feeling, big sister?" he asked maybe a little too loudly, and he watched as half the people in the Great Hall winced.

"I hate you," she whispered as she looked up at him. She was glaring for a moment, but Bella wasn't someone who stayed mad at him very long. The glare faded, and she smiled at him. "I don't, but I do want to spend some time with you before I go back. Mya and Edric wanted to come so badly, but we just couldn't get away. Edric almost left anyway, but Davos insisted that staying was the best."

"You couldn't ask for a better man," Missandei said, and Gendry had to agree with them. Yara was watching Arya and somehow smirking even more than she was a moment ago.

"I thought she was the wolf who did the claiming," Yara said, and she wiggled her eyebrows. Gendry rolled his eyes and went to fetch some water for Bella and Missandei. He knew that Missandei would be leaving today, but Bella was planning on staying a little longer. Gendry was looking forward to seeing his big sister even if he did wish all four of them could be together.

Bella and Missandei looked like they were about to give him whatever he wanted for the water, which made Gendry smile. Missandei didn't stay much longer than that, but Bella looped her arm in his and said that she wanted to spend time with him. Gendry managed to get Arya's attention enough that she followed, and the three of them spent the day together. It was nice, and Gendry remembered how lovely it was to have siblings around. He was also very amused by Bella's expression when she found out about what House Dustin did.

"Where are they? I want to look into that man's eyes and figure out every dark secret he has ever had," she said, and it was kind of impressive how Bella, in her pretty dress and damn near perfect black curls, looked more like a wolf than a stag at that moment. It reminded Gendry of the look that Sansa got when she was about to remind people that she fed her ex-husband to his own dogs.

"We'll take care of it. Don't worry," Arya said, which was a surprising thing to hear. As far as Gendry knew, there weren't any plans to do anything about House Dustin because they really couldn't. Arya looked just as bloodthirsty as Bella did, and he opened his mouth to tell them that it wasn't worth it when they both turned and glared at him like they knew what he was about to say. Gendry held up his hands in surrender and didn't say a word.

They were on their way to dinner, and Gendry was telling Bella about his ideas for Rhaegal, and she seemed thrilled that he was working on something like that.

"The problem is I think I need someone who specializes in leather making, and that isn't something I know well," Gendry said. He thought he could come up with something that could hold a replacement piece of the wing in place, but he didn't have the skills to make the thick leather that could be used to replicate Rhaegal's wing. Val looked up when they walked in and blinked at him.

"Did you say you need someone who specializes in leather making?" she asked.

"Yes, he thinks he might have figured out a way to get Rhaegal back to Queen Daenerys," Bella said despite Gendry glaring at her and wanting her to keep her mouth shut. The last thing he needed was rumors getting back to Daenerys when he wasn't sure if this was going to work at all. Val looked at him and appeared to just be waiting for him to confirm what Bella said, and she already had that stare that made him nervous that literally, every single Stark woman he knew had mastered. She was clearly going to fit right in with this family.

"I have a very vague idea, but yes, I would need someone who knows how to make leather but very specific kinds of leather. As you know, I'm not the most popular man in the North right now, so I don't know many craftsmen who would want to work on a project like this with me," Gendry said because that was the truth of the matter. He knew that everyone hated him right now, and he didn't stand a chance of convincing someone to try and help him on what could be a fool's errand.

"One of the men from the clans of the Free Folk specialized in making the leather that we would wear, which is much thicker than anything you wear here south of the Wall. Is that the kind of leather you're looking for?" she asked.

"Yeah, it is," Gendry said a little stunned, and Val nodded.

"I'll send for him. He's a bit mad, which I assume will be helpful since this project of yours includes spending a lot of time around a dragon," she said.

"This would be a good move politically as well," Arya said, and everyone looked at her. "It would put a direct connection to the Free Folk and something done for the crown in the South. It would make Daenerys look at the Free Folk with even more respect, and the respect of Daenerys could go a long way to gaining the respect of the North." Arya had a very good point, and Val nodded like she agreed.

"I'll ask Corwin to come and see you as soon as he can. It would be good for all of us if we managed to get the dragon back to Queen Daenerys, and I wouldn't mind gaining her favor before I even meet her," Val said.

"Spoken like a Queen already," Bella said, and Val blushed a little. Gendry was a bit too busy being distracted by the fact that this mad plan of his to figure out how to get a dragon flying again was going to work. Val and Bella were talking, and he felt Arya reach over and take his hand. She pulled him a few steps away from them and squeezed.

"The North isn't overly fond of Rhaegal. Maybe they'll look at you more kindly if they know you're the reason he was able to go home," Arya said softly.

"Maybe, but that wouldn't change how they looked at Theon," Gendry said, and he shrugged. "I made the weapons that defeated the Army of the Dead. If that wasn't enough to gain the favor of the North, I'm not sure anything ever will." Arya frowned deeply, and Gendry kissed the top of her head. "It'll be fine; eventually, I promise." She didn't look like she believed him at all.

+++

Bella, Yara, and the rest of the guests left a few days later, and things in the North felt like they were beginning to settle. The weeks went by, and Val said that she would be calling Corwin in to help Gendry with his new project soon but that he was in the middle of something else and couldn't come right away. Val clearly didn't want to order anything, which was good. Arya didn't think Gendry would react well to the idea of someone spending time with him because they were ordered to. Meera's belly got bigger and bigger, and before long, she was standing on the sidelines during their dagger lessons because it was too hard to move. It was getting closer and closer to the day the babe would come, and Arya was uneasy. She kept thinking about the bandits that attacked them when they went to the Iron Isles. Arya didn't trust that they would just leave people alone, and there were reports of bandit attacks near the border.

Jon sent out guards to try and capture them, but they didn't have any luck. Someone told Jon that they were last seen heading south. Arya wanted to tell Jon these men needed to be taken care of, but there was a problem between two of the Lesser Houses that needed to be taken care of first. That meant Jon and Val both left Winterfell with Sansa in charge, and Arya knew that the bandits were going to keep making a run for it. That didn't sit well with her, and she told Gendry that one night.

"We could take care of it," she said. "It's what we do and are good at it. Let's just go take care of them and then Jon and Sansa won't have to worry about anything happening. We need to focus on the new babe and not on these bandits."

"Sansa won't let us go," Gendry said, and Arya smirked. "I know that look, and that look usually doesn't end well for me." He paused and thought about it for a moment. "Or it ends really well depending on the day." Arya poked him in the ribs, which made Gendry jump.

"We'll say we need some time away. She'll understand," Arya said, and just like that, they were packing their bags to spend a few days out in the wilderness. Sansa looked like she didn't approve of this, but she also said there wasn't much she could do about it either. She sighed and let them go. Nymeria wasn't leaving Meera's side at the moment, and Ghost was with Jon and Val, so they didn't have a direwolf with them.

Arya had to go and talk to people alone because the smallfolk acted differently the second they saw Gendry. She hated it, but she also didn't know what she could possibly do about it either. The people kept telling her that the bandits kept heading south, and before long, Arya realized that they had crossed the border into the Riverlands. She wasn't surprised considering how easy it would be for people to hide out in the Riverlands, but tracking people through them is what she and Gendry specialized in. It wasn't hard to find the group, and Arya grinned. These were the men that nearly took Theon and Sansa away from her, and that wasn't something she could let slide. They had hurt people in the North, and they had passed at least one merchant caravan that the bandits had taken. Arya planned on going back to bury the bodies of the merchant and his wife.

Gendry nodded to her, and they both moved to surround the group. The men had thinned from the recent attacks, and now there were only six of them left. Arya counted down the same way she used to when they would attack the Lannister's. They didn't have the cover of night today, Sansa would want them home soon, so they had to do this now. Arya snapped a stick, and one of the bandits came out into the woods. It was easy to put a crossbow bolt through his throat, and he died silently. Gendry did the same from the other side of the group, and then there were four left. They were panicking now, and there wasn't time to wait for them to calm down. Arya sent out the bird call that signaled that they were going in, and Gendry replied with his own call.

Arya loved the thrill of battle and getting rid of men like this, men who preyed on innocent people and slaughtered anyone that got in their way; they were the ones she hated the most. She didn't enjoy taking lives, but it did soothe something in her soul that craved for justice. She remembered what Sandor told her about the difference between revenge and justice; these men had tried to take her family, but they had also hurt the people of the North and the Riverlands. It was justice to stop them before they could hurt anyone else. However, that didn't mean it wasn't a little bit of revenge too, and when she opened a bloody smile across the neck of the last bandit, Arya knew that she would sleep a bit better.

Gendry looked at her, blood dripping from his hammer, and he looked like some warrior god that she read about in books. It got her blood pumping, and she almost wanted to spend the night with him. However, they needed to get back to Winterfell, or they might miss the birth. Arya was sure that no one would forgive them if that were the case. She walked with Gendry back to their horses and gear; they would have to ride hard if they wanted time to bury the merchant and his wife and make it back to Winterfell in time.

Behind them, hidden in the trees, was one last bandit. He watched them walk away and then raced off in the opposite direction.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Arya got back to Winterfell with Gendry and felt better than she had in months. The bandits were gone, House Dustin could be dealt with now that Jon and Val were married, and there was going to be a babe in the house again. There hadn't been a child in Winterfell since Rickon and Bran had to flee, and now they were bringing the next generation into the world. Arya tried not to think about the fact that her mother and father and so many of her siblings weren't there to see this. It should have been Robb bringing the next generation into Winterfell with her mother and father staying close and teaching him how to raise the child. Her parents should be here to hold Meera's hand and teach her what she needed to do. As it was, none of them had much experience with children aside from Val and how she helped with various children in her clan. The night they got back, they found Meera in the godswood sobbing.

"They aren't here," Meera said as Arya ran over and sat next to her. Bran was nowhere in sight, but she could only assume he was somewhere close, trying to get out to Meera. They were rarely out of each other's sight. "My mom and dad aren't here, Jojen isn't here, no one is here. Bran's parents, your parents, aren't here. It isn't fair; it isn't fair; they should be here." Arya pulled Meera into her arms and looked up at Gendry. She mouthed for him to find Bran, and he took off. Nymeria was whining nearby and trying to cuddle closer to Meera.

"I was thinking the same thing," Arya whispered as she rocked Meera back and forth. She was so tired and miserable, and being pregnant just seemed like it was a lot to deal with. Meera was young, which was probably the only reason things got hard for her in the last few weeks or so. "But we're in the godswood right now, underneath the Heart Tree, and you know what that means for all of us. They're here, looking out for you, right now. They are sad they aren't here for us right now, but they know we can do this. They know you and Bran can do this, and whatever you can't do, the rest of us will be here to help you."

"You all have enough to do without me becoming a burden," Meera said, but Arya shook her head. She looked up and watched as Gendry raced into the godswood with Bran in his arms.

"You aren't a burden to me or anyone else," Arya said, and she tilted Meera's chin up so she could see Bran in Gendry's arms. A few more silent tears fell from her eyes as Gendry set Bran down, and the two of them pulled each other into their arms.

"Whatever it is, we'll figure it out," Bran said. "You were the one that brought me back from the Three-Eyed Raven; you did that Meera, so you can do anything. I promise I won't let you do any of this alone, I promise I won't leave you again."

"You tried to make me leave once," Meera said quietly, and Bran pulled away from their hug so he could frame her face with his hands.

"And you rightfully slapped me for it," he said, which was information that Arya didn't know, but it sounded like something that Meera would do. "You told me you were staying, and that was that so you stayed. You stayed, and you defended me during the Long Night, and you held my hand when the poison raced through my system. You can put a spear through a man's eye from halfway across the courtyard without even trying. You are Lady Meera Reed, and if you can do all of that, you can do this too." Meera nodded, and the two of them pressed their foreheads together. Arya let them have their moment until Meera shivered, and it was time to get her inside. Arya helped her to her feet while Gendry carried Bran back to his chair. They helped put the two of them into their room for bed and walked up to their own room.

"I didn't know Meera slapped my brother," Arya said as she closed the door behind them. Their packs were abandoned on the floor, and Jon and Val were due to return in the early morning. Sansa and Theon were already in their room for the night, but Sansa saw them just as they got in.

"I did," Gendry said softly, and there was something in his voice that made Arya look up at him. He pressed his lips together and released his breath slowly. "When you tried to leave me, Meera told me that story to try and show that sometimes you have to out stubborn you Stark's." Arya felt her stomach drop; she tried not to think that time in their lives very often. She was afraid back then, so afraid that loving Gendry made her weak, and she was going to lose everything for it. She thought that sending him away was the only way to keep that fear and perceived weakness from consuming her. She pushed him away, and that was how Melisandre was able to get her hands on him. She nearly bled Gendry dry, and it would have been all Arya's fault. She almost lost him, and the thought of that happening now frightened her.

"Gendry--"

"I really don't want to talk about it," Gendry said. The two of them climbed into bed, and he turned to sleep with his back to her, which was not something he normally did. Arya cuddled close to his warmth and kissed the back of his neck. Melisandre told her that Gendry's good heart was going to be the thing that killed him and that it was going to haunt him for the rest of his life whether or not he could have saved people if he let Melisandre or even Daenerys burn him alive. Arya closed her eyes and tried not to think about it.

+++

A little before dawn, she heard people moving around and could hear Jon and Val making their way up to their room. Arya settled back down in bed and hoped that Gendry would get some sleep today. He was usually up at dawn, and she very much wanted him to get some rest after their little trip to take care of the bandits. She was nearly asleep when suddenly, a wolf howled long and loud. Arya felt every hair on her body stand on end, and she was awake. That was Nymberia, she was sure of it, and Nymeria stayed close to Meera these days. Gendry was awake too. The two of them glanced at each other and quickly threw on clothes that they could wear in public and didn't even bother to lace up their boots as they ran to Meera's room.

Maester Wolken was already there, and thankfully he didn't seem too worried about the massive direwolf that was staring at Meera with huge yellow eyes. Meera, who was clutching her stomach and wincing painfully. Bran was in bed next to her, and he was letting her crush one of his hands as he spoke to her gently.

"The babe is coming," Wolken said, and Arya felt her heart stutter. Jon, Val, Sansa, and Theon all pilled into the room, and Arya could see Brienne in the hallway. "My Lady, we need to get you prepared. We should get the men out of the room."

"No," Meera gasped, and she held onto Bran even tighter. "Please, don't make him leave."

"I'm not leaving her," Bran said as he refused to take his eyes off of Meera.

"My Lord, we--"

"I said I'm not leaving," Bran snapped, and Nymeria growled. Meera cried out in pain, and Arya raced to her other side to try and help her the best she could, but she didn't know what she was doing. Val, on the other hand, apparently did.

"All right, if Bran wants to stay, then he can stay. Gendry, Jon, Theon, you all need to leave the room immediately," Val said. Jon looked like he wanted to argue, but Val's expression didn't leave any room for that. The men all left the room, and Val turned to Sansa. "Have the maids bring up some warm water and clean rags immediately." Sansa nodded and stuck her head out to call for one of the chambermaids who were lurking near the door in case they were needed.

"My Queen, you seem to know a lot about bringing babes into the world," Wolken said.

"I'm a woman, so I've seen many women bring babes into the world, and I've seen many die while doing so. I will not lose my good sister today, Maester," Val said, and Wolken blinked once and nodded. Sansa helped the maids carry the buckets into the room as they had Meera lay back.

"Where do you want, Bran?" Arya asked.

"Can I have my head in his lap?" Meera asked, and Val nodded as she pushed a sweaty curl out of Meera's eyes.

"My dear, you are bringing a babe into the world. As far as I'm concerned, you can have whatever you want," Val said. It took some work from Arya and Sansa, but they eventually got Meera lying down with her head in Bran's lap. He began to run his fingers through her hair and pressed a cool cloth to her forehead. He was whispering softly that he loved her, that she could do this, that he believed in her, and it made Arya want to cry. It was so lovely to see her kind and amazing little brother looking at his wife like that.

Wolken told them that they likely didn't have long and that a first babe would either come very quickly or very slowly and when he looked at her, he said he thought it was going to be quick. Val looked as well, and she agreed. Arya and Sansa listened to what Val and Wolken told them to do while Nymeria climbed onto the bed and settled her massive head on Meera's stomach gently as they all waited. Occasionally Meera would cry out in pain, and those cries got closer and closer. Val and Wolken glanced at each other, and they both nodded.

"Meera, it's time for you to push. It's going to hurt, it's going to hurt worse than anything, but you need to keep pushing," Val said. Meera nodded, and she began to scream. Arya was on her other side, and she let Meera crush her non-dominant hand as she screamed in pain. Bran was trying to comfort her, but she was beyond reason right now, and none of them seemed to be getting through. Val and Wolken kept telling her to keep going as Sansa moved around the room and gave the two of them whatever they needed.

"One more big push and your babe will be here, My Lady," Wolken said. Meera nodded and looked up at Bran. He smiled and kissed, even though they weren't facing the same direction. Meera bit down on her bottom lip hard enough to bleed and began to scream again. Suddenly, there was another scream as the sound of a baby cried out. They all stared as Wolken cut the cord and wrapped the babe in cloth. Val whispers for Meera to push the last of the afterbirth, but Meera only seemed to half-listen. Wolken walked back with a smile on his face. "My Prince, we have a new little princess with us. It's a girl."

"A girl," Meera whispered as they helped her sit up, so she was sitting next to Bran. They handed her the tiny little thing, and Arya didn't know how she was supposed to react to this; it was a girl. They had a little girl.

"The future Queen in the North," Val said as Meera and Bran looked at her. "She is our heir, and my children with Jon will be her Queensguard."

"What's her name?" Sansa asked as they looked at her. She had tiny tufts of dark hair, and she looked so fragile that Arya didn't know how they were supposed to keep her safe.

"Jojana," Bran said as he looked down at the little girl on his wife's chest. "Her name is Jojana Stark after her uncle Jojen Reed." Meera hiccuped a sob as she looked down as the tiny baby in her arms, and Arya decided it was time to give them a moment alone. They all gathered the soiled clothes and everything else, and the bed was ruined, but Arya knew they could have a minute together. The three of them deserved a minute together. Val opened the door to the anxious faces of Gendry, Jon, Theon, Brienne, and what looked like half of Winterfell were all waiting.

"Send out the word to our allies; Princess Jojana Stark has come into the world," Val said, and everyone cheered.

+++

Corwin arrived two weeks after Jojana was born, and Gendry was getting antsy. He had plenty of ideas but no idea how to implement them. He didn't mind Rhaegal, but he was also one of the few people that Rhaegal tolerated. Gendry didn't mind having the dragon hanging around, but he also understood why the idea of something so large that only a select few people could control would make the North nervous. The direwolves were already too much for some people; they were only the size of horses. Gendry also just cared about Daenerys as a person and couldn't imagine what it was like to have something that you thought of like a child so far away. She knew Rhaegal was safe, but that wasn't the same thing as him being there for her.

Corwin was an older man with dark skin from many, many years in the sun and dark eyes. He looked Gendry up and down like he was trying to decide whether or not to break him over his knee until Val appeared.

"Corwin, it's lovely to see you thank you for coming," she said.

"Yes, well, you're a Queen, so I can't exactly say no," Corwin said, but he was smiling.

"This is Ser Gendry Stark, and he wants to see if you can help him with something," Val said.

"If you don't want to be here at any given time, you can leave," Gendry said. "I don't want your help because someone ordered you to do it. I want your help because you want to help and maybe want a challenge."

"A challenge?" Corwin said, and he raised an eyebrow. Val patted Gendry's shoulder and left the two of them alone. "What kind of challenge are we talking about here?"

"Do you have a horse?" Gendry asked, and Corwin nodded. "It's probably better if I show you." Gendry got on his own horse and took Corwin to the cave where Rhaegal was. When the dragon walked out to greet them, Corwin turned white as snow and then a little green. Gendry jumped off of his horse and began to walk toward the dragon.

"Son, what the fuck are you doing?" Corwin asked.

"He won't hurt me," Gendry said, and when he got close enough, he placed a hand on Rhaegal's warm nose. He huffed a breath that made Gendry smile, and he could see the ruined wing from here. "I won't let him hurt you, will you let him come close? I want to help you, but I need his help to do that," Gendry said softly so only Rhaegal could hear. He knew that Bran could talk to the dragons better than he could, but Rhaegal was looking at him with intelligent eyes. The massive green dragon huffed another breath and settled down on the ground. That was about as close to affirmation as Gendry was going to get. He walked back to Corwin, who still looked like he was about to pass out.

"That is a dragon," Corwin said.

"That it is," Gendry said, and he offered a hand. Corwin looked at him like he was mad, but Gendry didn't look away. "If he kills you, he'll kill me too, and he won't do that; he knows how much it would piss off his mother because she's quite fond of me. So stay close, and we'll be fine." Corwin hesitated but eventually took Gendry's hand, and the two of them slowly approached Rhaegal. The dragon eyed Corwin, but he stayed on the ground without trying to attack either of them. "Reach your hand out very slowly and touch his nose," Gendry said. Corwin was visibly sweating but did as Gendry sat while staying practically plastered to his side. Rhaegal huffed a breath that made Corwin jump but didn't attack. The dragon seemed to relax more and spread out his massive wings on the ground, which was precisely what they needed. Gendry smiled at Rhaegal and gently led Corwin over to his wing.

"It's injured," Corwin said.

"He and yes he is," Gendry replied. "His name is Rhaegal, and he got that wound fighting for the living here in the North. There is another Queen in the south, and she's called the Mother of Dragons. She considers the dragons her children, and Rhaegal has been trapped up here in the North ever since the battle for the dead. Queen Daenerys wants her son back, and the North doesn't trust a dragon not to suddenly turn on them."

"And getting him south would be a problem," Corwin said. "He can't fly on that wing, no cart in the world would be big enough to drag him south, and even if we got a boat big enough if it sneezes fire, the whole thing goes up, and the thing dies." Gendry nodded glad that Corwin could see the same problems that he did. "You want to fix his wing?"

"I do. The skin in the wings is about the same consistency as the thick leather that you are a master of making, according to Queen Val," Gendry explained. "I think between the two of us; we can figure out a way to fix that injury on his wing enough that he can fly again. If we do that, it'll look good for both of us." Corwin frowned and looked at Gendry. "The North hates me, they think I'm not worthy of their Princess, and they think I slept with another woman which I didn't. If I help the dragon that keeps them awake at night fly south, they might actually tolerate me. If you help me, it'll show the North and Queen Daenerys in the south that the Free Folk are willing to risk their lives to help the people of Westeros." Gendry paused as he looked at the injury and smirked. "Also, how many men do you think can say that they helped a dragon fly again? Between your leather making and my smithing, I think we can figure something out. Will you help me?"

"You are completely fucking mad, Gendry Stark," Corwin said, but he was grinning. "Then again, I've been told I'm fairly mad too. All right, let's get the pet dragon flying again."

+++

They spent the rest of the day looking at the wing and trying to figure out how they were going to get this to work. Rhaegal tolerated them both and even let Corwin work without Gendry being nearby. It was like he could tell that they were trying to help him. The tear in his wing was near the bone, and the tear was as big as a horse. They would need more precise measurements, but, right now, the sun was going down, and Rhaegal appeared to be getting annoyed with them. Gendry rode back to Winterfell with Corwin, and they got to work.

The next month was strange. Jojana was apparently a good baby in that she slept a lot and didn't cry much, which made Meera and Bran both happy. Gendry didn't think he had ever seen Bran smile so much as he would hold his daughter in his arms. They made the formal announcement that Jojana was the heir, and the North took it very well. As Jon predicted, they wanted a King or Queen with Ned Stark's blood, and now they had one. Arya and Nymeria both didn't seem to know what to do with Jojana, and more than once, Gendry had to hide his laughter from Arya when she would stare at the baby like she didn't know how to keep it safe. He had to remind her that while Jojana was fragile, if a baby like him could survive Flea Bottom, then Jojana could survive Winterfell.

Corwin stayed at the castle, and Gendry couldn't remember the last time he made a friend like this. Corwin was mad, but once he was on board with the idea of getting Rhaegal to fly again, he dove right in. They spent the next month testing various instruments and leather, and Rhaegal tolerated them with far more grace than Gendry thought a dragon would ever muster. If they thought Rhaegal was getting antsy, they just brought Bran up, and he "spoke" to the dragon, and it calmed right down. Jon had no idea what to do with that either, but as with most weird things that Bran did, they all just kind of let it happen and hoped for the best.

After a month, they got Rhaegal to guide a little longer than usual, but it was still not staying in place the way they wanted it to. Corwin was asleep in the forge as Gendry sketched his designs to try and figure out the best possible way to keep the instrument that was essentially acting like a piece of Rhaegal's wing in place. Gendry finished sketching a design very early one morning when a new idea woke him up. Arya was used to things like this because Gendry often found himself inspired at weird times. It was the reason he finished the commissions for Ellaria in the middle of the night so they could be sent back to Dorne. He just got inspired at weird times. Gendry grinned as he looked over the designs and had a good feeling that this was it. This was the one that was going to work. Now he just needed to make it.

Gendry had every intention of telling Corwin after they broke their fast that he had finally figured out how they were going to get Rhaegal flying again when Jon and Val walked in with a scroll in hand. Sansa narrowed her eyes, and Gendry could see the Targaryen seal on the scroll.

"We have been invited to King's Landing," Jon said. "It appears that Queen Daenerys has secured a betrothal to Quentyn Martell, and we've been invited to the wedding." There was a pause as everyone took in this information. Gendry knew his history, anyone who lived in King's Landing knew the history of the Martell's and the Targaryen's and now history was repeating itself.

"Well, I suppose that's one way of keeping Dorne from rebelling," Theon said, and it broke the tension in the room.

"I suppose it will," Sansa said with a smile. "Well, a wedding like this means all of the guests they can possibly get. That means as many of us need to go as possible."

"I'd like to stay," Meera said as she rocked Jojana. "I don't think I'm ready to travel yet."

"I don't want to leave either," Bran said. "I think Daenerys would understand, though."

"She would," Jon said, and he looked at Sansa. "If Val and I go, I need my Hand to stay here and make sure things run well. Can you do that for me?"

"I have no desire to go to King's Landing and will gladly use this excuse not to return," Sansa deadpanned.

"You're going to make Gendry and I go, aren't you," Arya said, and Gendry closed his eyes. He knew it was true and that they had to go, but that didn't mean he wanted to. He still smiled and nodded when Jon confirmed that they would need to leave in a few days. Corwin wasn't going to be happy that they were going to have to put off finishing the designs to get Rhaegal flying again, but they would have to. There just wasn't enough time to finish it before they needed to leave.

Gendry sighed and vowed to finish when they got back from the wedding. Perhaps it could be a late present for the bride.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Arya was doing her best not to be annoyed about this, but it was hard not to. She didn't want to go back to King's Landing again; she wanted to stay in the North because this was the first time she had really felt safe in a long time. As soon as she crossed the border into the Riverlands, she was on edge, and it only got worse because they didn't have the wolves with them. Nymeria was still attached to Meera's side and looking out for Jojana, which was in no way a bad thing. It made them all feel better to have the mama wolf looking out for all of them. Jon said he thought about having Ghost come with them to the south, but they really needed him to stay and look out for Sansa and Theon. So they were traveling without the wolves, and it made everything a lot harder for Arya. She didn't feel as safe, and Gendry could tell.

"I know you don't want to go south," Gendry said as they rode side by side on the King's Road. Someone had tried to say that Val needed a carriage, and the look she gave them was rather impressive. Jon looked amused by the entire thing, and when someone looked to Jon like he was going to have any say in how his wife traveled, Jon just shrugged. Arya liked that the two of them seemed to be getting along well, and she knew that her brother deserved the world, but everything about this was bothering her.

"It's not that I don't want to go and see your family and Daenerys and Edmure and everyone again. I do want to see those people," Arya said, but she sighed. "It's just that King's Landing doesn't have a lot of good memories for me."

"When we get there, I'd like to show you around the city," Gemdry said, and Arya stared at him. "What? The last time we were there, it wasn't really safe for us to go wandering around the city alone. It should be safe now so I can finally show you where I grew up."

"I thought you didn't have any good memories there either," Arya said.

"I have one, and that's meeting you," Gendry said, which was ridiculously romantic of him, and he didn't seem to realize how romantic it was either. "But maybe we should try and make some better ones. We can't avoid the south forever, not with all of the family we have down there, not to mention the whole duty thing."

"We'll be safe now," Arya said softly as she looked down the King's Road at Jon and Val, who appeared to be talking pleasantly to one another. Val looked a little uncomfortable with all of the heat, which was only going to get worse the closer they got to King's Landing, but she didn't seem nervous at all, which was strange. She was a new queen from people that most of Westeros thought were savages, and she didn't seem to have a care in the world. Jon didn't seem tense either and was riding with a smile on his face. He hadn't seen Daenerys since she was crowned and they wrote to each other a lot. Even Gendry seemed calm enough, and Arya realized that she was the only one who was still tense. She was the only one who was afraid.

Arya tried her best not to bring the war with her wherever she went. She knew that various members of her family would wake up from nightmares, and sometimes they woke up screaming. Right before Jojana was born, Meera woke up to Bran, staring at the ceiling, and he didn't react when she called his name. Meera thought that she had lost Bran to the Three-Eyed Raven again and screamed. It seemed that Bran was just asleep and didn't wake up when she shook him, and it took a lot of time to assure her that he wasn't getting lost again. Theon still flinched from loud noises, and you had to be careful if you were going to touch him or Sansa because touching them by surprise was a good way to trigger flashbacks for both of them.

Jon touched his chest where the scars of being stabbed remained, and sometimes Arya caught him looking at the scar on his wrist, where he spilled his own blood to defeat the Night King. Gendry would also stare at that scar, and Arya sometimes caught him staring at the spots where the funeral pyres from the battle were like he could bring those people back to life if he tried hard enough. They all carried the war with them, but Arya was slowly starting to realize that she carried it the most. She was the one who would sneak into Bran and Meera's room to watch Jojana sleep for hours on end. She was the one who couldn't stand the thought of leaving Winterfell and was trying not to panic in the woods as they rode south. She was the one who couldn't think about visiting King's Landing without thinking of everything bad instead of the good.

Arya tried to think about the good moments that she had in the city. She thought about meeting Gendry and how he somehow helped make the worst day of her life a little better. She thought about the image of Gendry placing the crown he made on Daenerys' head and how she got word that someone had painted that scene for history. Arya thought about watching Mya, Bella, and Edric getting legitimized and how they stood a little taller without their bastard names following them around. Now she was going to witness a wedding that would bring real peace to all of Westeros. A marriage that would truly bring the peace that they all spent years bleeding and dying for.

This has to be a good memory.

+++

Arya did her best to keep herself calm as they made their way south. They didn't run into Edmure or Robin as they made their way to King's Landing for the wedding, and Arya was actually grateful for it. They had a smaller group, and it was better that way. She still didn't like traveling with large groups, and a large group would just remind her of the last time they went south to go to war. She was trying not to think about that as they approached King's Landing. The city looked good as they rode in during the mid-afternoon. The people seemed happy, and Arya could see that no one looked like they were starving. The city didn't even smell as bad as it used to, and that was a relief.

Val found the entire thing fascinating as she looked around with wide eyes. She hadn't been to a city like this before, and she already seemed uncomfortable with the heat. The number of people around her seemed to be bothering her too. Arya could tell, but she could also tell that Val was doing her best to hide it as well. Both her and Jon wore their crowns as they went through the city, and people were whispering about who they were. Val's hair was braided and hanging over her shoulder, and she looked like she was doing her best not to let all of the people around her get to her. Arya knew this feeling all too well.

Missandei was waiting for them when they rode up to the Red Keep, and she smiled when she saw them.

"Your Graces, it's lovely to see you both again," she said with a bow. "Please, come with me, Her Grace would love to see and meet you both for the first time." Arya tried to hide her surprise when she saw Jon reach over to take Val's hand as they walked into the Red Keep. She knew they were friends, but she didn't realize that they were that close. Arya glanced at Gendry, who was smirking a little and wiggled his eyebrows as the handholding. Arya rolled her eyes and took Gendry's hand into hers as they walked into the Red Keep.

Daenerys was waiting for them in the throne room, and she looked just as breathtaking as she did the last time she saw them. She was wearing a dark blue dress with maroon lining. The collar was open to show her shoulders, and the sleeves were wide. For a Queen, she looked comfortable, which was surprising for southern dresses. The man sitting next to her was someone that Arya hadn't met yet, but that she could only assume was Quentyn Martell. His robes were the color of desert sand with intricate designs and an open collar that showed off plenty of his chest. His hair was dark and curly, and he wore it loose around his shoulders. They were talking quietly to each other when the doors opened, but Daenerys on her feet in moments. There was no one else around, so it appeared that no one was bothering to be formal.

Jon and Daenerys both embraced each other like long lost friends and stood there in each other's arms for a long time. Arya knew that they were close, but it was strange to see it for the first time.

"Jon, it's so lovely to see you again," Daenerys said. "Please, forgive me for being unable to make it to your own wedding while asking you to come to mine. It seemed incredibly rude."

"If they had happened in the opposite order, I would have had to turn down yours for the same reason," Jon said. "Speaking of which, allow me to introduce my wife, Queen Val Stark of the Free Folk."

"Queen Daenerys, it's an honor to finally meet you. Jon speaks so highly of you," Val said with a bow of her head.

"And Jon had spoken very highly about you in our correspondents," Daenerys replied with a bow. She gestured to Quentyn, and he walked over to join them. "Allow me to introduce my betrothed, Lord Quentyn Martell of Dorne. Quentyn, I'd like you to meet my nephew, King Jon Stark of the North, and his wife, Queen Val of the Free Folk."

"Thank you both for coming," Quentyn said, and he looked over Jon and Val's shoulders to see Arya and Gendry keeping their distance. "This must be your cousin who made your lovely crown. He looks just like his brothers."

"That he does," Daenerys said as she walked with Quentyn over to Arya and Gendry. "Quentyn, my cousin, Ser Gendry Stark, and Princess Arya Stark." Everyone nodded their heads toward each other, and Daenerys threw her arms around Gendry and held him tightly. "I want you to know I've been keeping an eye on your brother and sisters."

"Of course you have," Gendry said as they broke their hug. "Let me guess; they are doing a magnificent job."

"I couldn't ask for a better Lord or Ladies," Daenerys said. "I saw almost right away why you had so much confidence in them." They all dined in Daenerys' private solar that night, and Arya had to say it was a much nicer time than the last time she had been in this solar. The last time she was begging for Gendry's life as Cersei told her that Gendry had more than one use when it came to his royal blood. When Cersei said that she would use Gendry as a bargaining tool to get Daenerys to spare her life or convince any other House's not to rebel against her. Now she was sipping wine and listening to the stories that they all shared. It was nice, and unlike anything she had ever experienced in King's Landing.

"I'm not joking!" Daenerys said as she drank her wine. "This sellsword walked into the Red Keep and said that he'd been promised a castle by the Lannister's and I was the one who had to hold up that debt. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. It took all of my composure not to laugh him out of my throne room."

"I hope you didn't give him a castle," Val said.

"I showed him the door and not much else. He was not pleased about it, but I am not here to uphold the debts of the Lannister's. I already have enough problems covering the debts that Robert and Cersei put us in with the Iron Bank, let alone promises that weren't even made in writing," Daenerys said, and she looked tired for the first time since they all sat down for food. Quentyn reached over and touched her hand, and Daenerys smiled. They appeared to like each other, which was nice. There were so few women in power that got the chance to marry someone that they actually liked, and while a marriage to a Martell was a smart political move, it appeared that it could lead to a happy marriage as well. It was probably more than Daenerys could have hoped for in these trying times.

"I wanted to ask you a favor," Daenerys said as they finished another bottle of wine. "I'm holding court after my wedding with all of my allies present. I believe it would be good to have all of us in one room so we can finally agree on all of the terms of our various alliances. Could you stay an extra few days after the wedding?" Jon and Val glanced at each other and nodded. Arya wanted to leave immediately, but she couldn't do that without it looking insulting to Daenerys. She was a Princess, and even though she hated court, she needed to be here for whatever they needed to talk about. They needed as many people as possible representing the interests of the North now that the possibility of peace in Westeros was a real thing that could all have.

Arya lost track of how many bottles of wine they all drank, and the world was swimming a bit by the time they all stumbled to their feet to go to their rooms. Arya leaned heavily on Gendry as they walked down the halls to the same room they stayed in the last time they were in King's Landing.

"If we're not too hungover tomorrow, I'd like to take you around the city," Gendry said as they both collapsed onto the bed nearly fully clothed. Arya didn't care to take off her boots, let alone anything else, but she knew that she needed to.

"All right, show me that this city isn't as bad as I think it is," Arya replied. Gendry smirked, and they both nearly fell off the bed as they stripped off their layers. Arya was asleep within moments of her head hitting the pillow, and the wine helped her sleep without dreams.

+++

"An Aunt that appears to be your age?" Val said as they walked into the room that they would be sharing. Daenerys didn't get them separate beds, and Jon knew that if they asked, she would make sure that some were brought in, but Val didn't ask, and Jon was a bit too drunk to think about that right now. Well, he was a little drunk, but unlike Arya and Gendry, who could both barely stand, Jon was mostly just tired.

"My blood family is a bit of a mess, and that is a huge understatement," Jon said as he began to peel off his layers. "I much prefer the family I was raised with and the one I've chosen." Val walked over, so she was very much in his space. She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair and touched his face gently.

"You would look strange with white-blonde hair and purple eyes," she whispered. Ever since they had laid together the night of their wedding, they hadn't since. They shared a bed, and sometimes Jon woke up with Val in his arms; they hadn't been intimate since that night. He wasn't in a massive rush for it, and neither was she, but the wine was clouding his judgment just a little as he looked down at her. Val took her lower lip between her teeth, and that was all the encouragement that Jon needed. He leaned down and captured her mouth into a harsh kiss. He didn't have to second guess whether or not Val wanted this; she moaned against his mouth and arched against his body, so there wasn't any space between them.

"I don't want our second time together to be a drunken tumble," Jon whispered against her lips, and Val smiled.

"Always the romantic," she replied as Val wrapped her arms around his neck. "No, drunken tumbles then, but perhaps we could just kiss?" Jon thought that sounded like the best idea in the world and leaned in to kiss her again. They had to break apart to get down to enough clothes to sleep comfortably, but as soon as Jon could kiss her again, he did. He loathed to be apart from her for long, and he pulled Val close as they lay side by side in bed. They kissed and kissed until Jon couldn't feel his lips anyone, and he fell asleep with Val in his arms for the first time.

+++

Arya was indeed hungover the next morning, but a morning cup of wine and some food helped chase it away. Gendry took her hand, and they went out into the city. They both dressed down but didn't do a lot to hide their appearance either. Arya wished she was surprised when they got to Flea Bottom, and several people walked up to Gendry and greeted him warmly. Gendry introduced her to people that knew him when he was smaller.

"Such a good boy," a woman who owned the tavern that Gendry's mother worked in before she passed away. "If I needed the hands, I would have kept him around, but I just didn't have the space at the time."

"You made sure I had food to eat before Tohbo took me in," Gendry said.

"And now look at you! Our little bastard boy married to a proper princess! Making all sorts of beautiful things for the nobles!" she said.

"You all know about that?" Arya asked, and she was a little surprised that information like that was out there for the smallfolk to know about.

"Oh yes, we're all quite proud of this here boy and all of his accomplishments," the woman said, and she ruffled Gendry's hair. "Him and Ser Davos are proof that we can rise above this shit hole if we want." Gendry smiled, but the smile looked a bit more brittle. He took her hand as they walked through Flea Bottom.

"I don't know how to tell them how much of it was luck for Davos and me," Gendry said as they walked. "I want to tell them that it was luck and being in the right place and the right time, but that doesn't help them. It doesn't give them hope, and you need hope when you're this poor."

"I can't even imagine what it was like," Arya whispered as they walked. She remembered these streets, but she hadn't lived on them for years of her life. She didn't eat Bowls of Brown and wondered what was in them. They got to Tobho Mott's forge, but the building was burned down. It was apparently one of the casualties of the Battle of King's Landing, and no one had tried to rebuild it yet. "You were hoping the building was still here."

"I was," Gendry said, and he squeezed her hand. "He sent me those ingots of the Valyrian Steel. I thought if I went through everything here, maybe I could find some sort of hint about what was going on. He stayed in the city after it burned down but, by then, he knew he was dying, and there wasn't any point in rebuilding. He died in an inn not far from here."

"Let's go see if the inn has anything," Arya said as she tugged on Gendry's hand. He glanced over his shoulder at the ruined building, and they found the inn that Mott had died in. There were a few pieces of clothing and some of his old tools, but not much else. Gendry told the owner to make sure the clothes went to someone who needed them and took the tools. They were the tools he learned to the smith, so they had value to him. Arya figured if Mott wanted Gendry to have the steel, then he would have no problem with Gendry taking the tools as well. Gendry packed them in a bag and slung them over his shoulder. They spent the rest of the afternoon seeing the city and trying not to get lost in old memories.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

The day was the wedding, it was warm, and the air was sticky, but Arya didn't mind. The rest of the Houses were arriving, and they needed to be up early to see everyone. Arya and Gendry managed to climb out of bed and get dressed in their nice clothes. They didn't have a lot of options when it came to clothes that wouldn't be too warm in the south, but Sansa helped them modify everything that they wore to Bran and Meera's wedding, which wasn't anything that anyone at this wedding would see. Apparently, it was bad if they wore the same thing to multiple weddings, according to Sansa, at least. Arya took Gendry's hand, and they walked downstairs just as Edmure and Roslin were arriving. They got tight tugs while Edmure mentioned that he enjoyed this new normal of seeing his family often.

Robin arrived not long after, and while he smiled and was polite enough, Arya knew that he didn't like Gendry, and he liked Val even less. However, he was smart enough to keep those opinions to himself, which was all that Arya cared about at this moment. Robin might be her cousin, but she felt closer to the Baratheon's than she did to her own blood. Said Baratheon's arrived in a flurry of black and gold, and Arya smiled as Gendry took all three of his siblings into his arms. Edric looked good, and he was holding himself like a proper Lord. Mya smiled fondly at all of them, but her tight hug gave away just how much they missed them. Bella grinned and also said how much she loved being around all of them more than once every couple of months.

Ellaria appeared, and Arya could see her wearing the jewelry that Gendry made for her proud. It was rather beautiful, and Gendry was truly a master when it came to making things that took people's breath away. Lord Varys was around, but Arya did her best to avoid the Grand Maester of the castle since he often looked at her like he didn't trust her. He seemed on edge as well, even more so than he did when they were at war, and they made Arya nervous.

"You don't like the city," Gendry said as they walked through the gardens together. It was full of so many nobles, and house's that she hadn't ever heard of and all of it was too much. She didn't like the idea of being around so many people that she didn't know.

"I don't like nobles," Arya corrected, and Gendry chuckled.

"That sounds like something younger me would say," he said. "And why exactly do you not like nobles these days? There is plenty to dislike. I know that much, but why specifically don't like you like them on what's supposed to be a happy day?"

"Nobles are always looking for more power, and weddings like this are a perfect opportunity to try and get more. That is what these people want, power, and we all know what powers do," Arya said, and then she paused because maybe that wasn't as true as she thought. Daenerys had power, the ultimate power of being Queen and her dragons, but she didn't use it for bad. She didn't hurt people just because she could, and she tried to take King's Landing with as little bloodshed as possible. Arya could see Jon and Val walking together, and she thought about their power and how they were using it for good. There were Lesser House's here that wanted more power, she was sure of that, but the liege lords were not the one's looking to gain more than they already had.

"Arya, Gendry," Yara said as she walked up to them with a smile and her crown shining in the sunlight. "Allow me to take a guess; my brother and future good sister decided to stay in the North."

"Good guess," Gendry said. "Sansa said that if the King and Queen are going to leave Winterfell, then the hand to the King must stay behind, and Theon goes where Sansa goes."

"I can only assume the new little Stark stayed as well," Yara said, and Arya nodded. "As well, I'll have to make my excuses to come and see the new babe when I have a chance." Yara grinned and wandered off. There were so many people around the gardens right now, but all she could think about was how not that long ago, people would be fighting for a chance to be here.

She thought about Baelish and how he was almost able to take the Vale from Robin and how close they were to losing Edmure and the Riverlands. She thought about the Lannisport Lannister, who now controlled Casterly Rock and how they were looking at everyone like they weren't sure if they were supposed to be here. She thought about how Edric went everywhere with Bella and Mya on either side of him, and the three of them were not to be trifled with.

Nobles wanted power, and she could see it in the way some of these people were walking around. Arya didn't like it, and she wished they could leave as soon as possible.

+++

Daenerys was getting married by the Faith of Seven in a rebuilt Great Sept of Balor, and it was the last place Arya wanted to be. It reminded her of the day she lost her father, but Arya held onto Gendry and let him guide her into the building. The ceremony was going to be long, and she didn't have any love for marriage ceremonies in this faith, she thought the Northern ceremonies were much more straightforward, but Arya understood why this needed to happen this way. Daenerys walked into the Sept with Jon on her arm. She asked him to be the one to bring her to Quentyn, and he agreed as her nephew. Arya wasn't much for dresses, but Daenerys' dress was gorgeous. It was a pure white dress with wide open sleeves, but it was the designs that made it even more beautiful. Someone had stitched black and red dragons on the dress, and they seemed to be climbing up her body.

Daenerys was not becoming a Martell, but the other way around and Quentyn allowed himself to be cloaked, which was amazing to see. Arya tried to remind herself constantly that so many things were changing in Westeros. There was a Queen now who was bringing a man into her family, and it made her happy to see it. Arya looked around and could see all of the nobles watching the wedding happen with wide eyes. They all seemed to know the same thing Arya did; the moment the septon declared that Daenerys and Quentyn were married, there would be real peace throughout Westeros. It didn't seem like something that could ever happen. Arya felt like her entire life was defined by war, and now that Danaerys had secured her rule with a marriage now, they were truly at peace.

Arya watched as Daenerys and Quentyn said their vows, and she hoped for a good marriage between them. History did not look kindly on a Targaryen marrying a Martell, and Arya hoped that this would be different. It was Robert causing so much strife in his marriage that made Cersei lash out the way she did. If the two of them were happy, then maybe things wouldn't have ended the way they did. Arya tried not to think about it too much; if those things hadn't occurred, she would never have met Gendry, and she didn't like to think about a life without him in it.

The septon declared that Daenerys and Quentyn were married, and it was like everyone had spent the last several months since the battle of King's Landing holding their breath, and they could breathe again. The Queen had a King, Dorne would not be rebelling, the Six Kingdoms were safely united with strong alliances tying them to the seventh and the eighth. Perhaps there could finally be peace, and Arya hoped for that future. Quentyn knelt down as Daenerys placed a crown on his head, and Arya tried not to laugh about the way that Gendry was trying to get a good look at it because it was one the rare crowns on royalty in Westeros not made by his hand.

Everyone made their way back to the Red Keep for a feast, and Arya threaded her fingers through Gendry's as they walked. He looked down at her and smiled gently.

"That went on forever," he said, and Arya barked out a laugh. "It's so much simpler in the North. Now I know I made the right decision converting to the Old Gods."

"You never believed in the Seven," Arya said.

"That's not even close to the point," Gendry replied, and Arya loved him so much. They got to the feast just as everyone was beginning to settle down for food. Quentyn and Daenerys walked in, hand in hand, and declared that the feast was to begin. From there, it was a night of drinking and eating too much food and dancing. Arya got a good laugh every single time a bumbling lord or knight would come over and try to ask Mya or Bella for a dance, and they would just raise a perfect eyebrow and gestured for him to move along.
Arya laughed and at some point in the night Daenerys and Quentyn left to spend their wedding night together and it was all lovely. She still didn't feel entirely safe but this was all good enough for her.

+++

Daenerys had a lot of opinions on weddings. Her first one was a traumatic event that she tried not to linger on too often. While she eventually found love and happiness with Drogo that didn't take away from how bad those first few times together were. That didn't take away from the fact that she was told into a marriage that she didn't want. Daenerys knew that she had agency now even if that agency came from what was a smart match. She knew that she would have to marry for an alliance and she knew that Dorne was the place that she would have to align with. The other five kingdoms were loyal while the North and the Iron Isles were independent but Dorne was another question. Ellaria had influence but the woman that went into the Black Cells was not the same woman that came out. They needed a marriage alliance to keep Dorne aligned with the rest of the kingdoms and Quentyn was really the only choice she had.

However, Daenerys was pleased to find out that while he was extremely cocky he was also a rather sweet man that looked at her like she was of the gods. It reminded her of the way Drogo sometimes looked at her once they fell in love and the way that Jorah would look at her. Those were the men in her life that she loved and the ones that she knew loved her. Quentyn also wanted peace between the rest of Westeros and Dorne but he also understood that a Taragaren and a Martell getting married again would just make people say that history was repeating itself but she had no intention of that happening. There was something that she needed to know right away and she asked him the first time they sat alone together.

"I need you to understand that I am the Queen," Daenerys said. "You'll be the King and I would like a partner to help me but come the end of the day I am the one that is ruling this world and not you. Not a lot of men would be happy about that dynamic and I need to know that you will be before we even entertain this idea."

"I'm not most men," Quentyn said with a shrug. "I understand my place in this the way Elia did all of those years ago. We are getting married to maintain peace and if my place is by the side of a stunning woman to help maintain peace then I accept my place."

"Many years ago I was told that I would not be able to have children," Daenerys said carefully. "I've also laid with other men and I haven't gotten pregnant."

"We'll have to try and see what happens for the sake of Westeros. If not, you said you wanted a partner in all of those, so I'll help you figure out what to do next." Quentyn toasted her with a glass of wine and the next day they announced that they would be married. Neither of them were faithful people but getting married in the Sept was a good way to show the people of Westeros that she was trying for them. That didn't mean she kept chastity in the weeks leading up to her wedding. Daenerys saw no point in denying herself to the man that she would be married to and Quentyn, being a man of Dorne, cared about chastity even less. Daenerys knew that she was a rare royal who knew that she would be having amazing sex with her King before they said a word of their vows.

Daenerys had spent the majority of her own wedding distracted by the lovely orange robes that Quentyn was wearing and wanting to take them off. He looked at her the same way, the gorgeous dress that was made with her dragons in her colors embodied on it, like he wanted to tear it off of her. They stayed for as long as Daenerys thought they needed to stay and then raced off to bed her bedroom hand in hand.

Quentyn was a man that liked to worship her with his mouth but also let himself get pushed against the now-closed door of their room. He kissed like he was trying to consume her soul and it made Daenerys breathless in a way she hadn't been with a man in a long time. She knew about having sex in confined places with little time but the way they were both trying to get out of their opulent clothes as quickly as possible without taking their hands or lips off of each other was almost comical. They probably should have been more careful with the lovely clothes but Daenerys couldn't care less about that right now and Quentyn didn't seem to either. He trailed his hands down her sides until he got to her thighs and lifted her up. Daenerys let out a rather undignified squeak and wrapped her legs around his waist.

He carried her over to her bed, their bed, and laid her down. Daenerys knew that Quentyn was good with his mouth, and she was pleased when he began to kiss down her body. He whispered compliments into her skin, saying how beautiful she was, that he couldn't wait to taste her again, that he didn't think she could ever get enough of him. Daenerys knew that they weren't in love, not even close, but she was very much in lust with this man which was more than she could ever hope for from a political marriage. Quentyn pushed her legs apart and put his mouth on her center, and it was paradise.

Daenerys clenched the sheets in her fist as she tried to keep from crying out loud enough that the guests could hear her. Though she supposed the rest of Westeros finding out that she very much enjoyed being bedded by her husband was not exactly scandalous. If they enjoyed each other physically, that was all the more chances that he might get her pregnant for some heirs, which was all some of the Lesser Houses could talk about. She didn't mean to let her mind wander, but Quentyn brought her back to reality when he slipped two fingers into her. He did something that was probably illegal in Westeros with his tongue, and Daenerys cried out as she peaked.

She was still trembling when he crawled back up to her and kissed her. Daenerys could taste herself on his lips, on his tongue, and it made her moan against him. She pushed Quentyn, so he was lying on his back and straddled his hips. He was grinning at her as she lined herself up and slid down. Daenerys hadn't been with a man since Daario, and even though she had been with Quentyn a few times since they announced their betrothal, Daenerys loved that stretch that came when you first coupled with a man. She threw her head back and could feel Quentyn running his hands over her body, and she cried out when he pinched a nipple.

Daenerys began to move, and she felt powerful as she looked down at him. She is the Queen, and this is her King, but she is the one with the power. She is the one who will help rule, and she managed to find a man that didn't mind that. Who would spend his time drinking wine and doing the things that Queens and Ladies were supposed to do without a care in the world. Quentyn sat up and changed the angle as he threaded his fingers through her white hair. They were both approaching the edge again, and Daenerys muffled her cry against his mouth.

She was still coming down when Quentyn rolled them over again and began to move even faster. He didn't last much longer, and Daenerys could feel him peek inside of her. She needed to be on her back, so as much of him stayed inside as possible. If she could get pregnant, if the curse wasn't real, it needed to happen sooner than later. They weren't like Jon and Val, where they could wait and take their time because there is already an heir. They needed someone, and they needed someone soon.

Quentyn rolled off to the side as they both began to catch their breath. Daenerys was surprised when he leaned in and kissed her lips, her neck, her shoulder, as they lay together. It was like he couldn't stop touching her, which was something she very much appreciated.

"How was your wedding night, My Queen?" Quentyn whispered against her skin. "Was it what you wanted as the Queen of Westeros?"

"Better than I expected if we're being honest with each other," she replied, and he looked a little surprised by that. "I knew I'd have to marry for the sake of an alliance, but I didn't think I would actually enjoy coupling with my husband. It seems I got rather lucky."

"We both did in this case," Quentyn said as he ran his fingers down her arm. "Are you worried about tomorrow?"

"Of course, but it's something that needs to be done," Daenerys replied as she looked at the ceiling. She had tried to get out of tomorrow, look for another solution, but there wasn't one. She didn't have any other options. "I just hope that someday, they'll forgive me."

+++

Arya woke up, and the first thing she realized was that she did not want to go to court. The second thing was that she probably had a bit too much wine, which was going to make court even worse. She groaned and buried her face in Gendry's neck, and he made a similar noise about not wanting to get up. They needed to, they both knew that, so Arya forced herself to get out of bed. She called a bath into the room and enjoyed soaking in the hot water with Gendry for a little while until they needed to go break their fast. They decided that eating in their room was the right idea since they would have to deal with all of the nobles for most of the day, and doing that any earlier just did not sound like an enjoyable way of spending their day.

She had a knot in her stomach that she couldn't quite get rid of though, which only got worse as court drew nearer. Gendry didn't seem to have much of an opinion on the matter, but he didn't know southern court the way she did, and he didn't know how long all of this could go on for. Arya wrote a short letter to Sansa saying that she was nervous about court and that she would do her best to take notes for her sister because Sansa was going to be furious about this happening while she wasn't there. Arya sent the letter to go to Sansa and tried to calm her nerves.

It did not work, and by the time court happened, she was a bit of a wreck. The fact that all of the Lesser Houses would be here for this conversation just made her nervous because she didn't trust those people. She trusted Edmure and Roslin, she trusted Yara, she trusted Edric and Gendry's sister's, she trusted Daenerys, she even trusted Robin. But the Lesser Houses were the ones she was worried about. They all filed into the room with the Lesser Houses sitting near their liege lords as Arya and Gendry took their spot near Jon and Val. Daenerys and Quentyn were talking softly to each other, and once the last of everyone filed in, they began.

The first and most important thing was formally signing the alliance between the Five Kingdoms, the Iron Isles, and the North. There was a temporary treaty as everyone settled into their respective rule, but now that everyone was settled, it was time to make it formal. They were all allies, the borders would remain open, the Ironborn were not to raid anyone under any circumstances, and they would all govern their own lands. Jon, Daenerys, and Yara all signed, and Arya breathed a sigh of relief. Everything else that happened in this meeting was a bit inconsequential for the North.

Arya still took notes as everyone talked about alliances and borders and trading and everything else. A few of the Lesser Houses were nervous about Drogon and how he was going to react to being in Westeros, but Daenerys assured them that she had control of her dragon. There were some petty squabbles, but nothing that seemed to be a big deal. Jon and Val were paying attention, but Arya found herself dozing off between this whole thing. She didn't like court, and she didn't have the best mind for politics. The hours kept dragging, and as the last thing was settled, Arya was more than ready to go anywhere else. She wanted to go home.

"We have one more thing that must be carried out before we can all go our separate ways," Daenerys said, and suddenly, Quentyn looked a little nervous, which made Arya pay attention. "Several of the Lesser Houses have come forward with an allegation that we must all discuss and is one of the reasons I have asked you all to stay." Daenerys paused as she looked out at all of them, and Arya felt her blood run cold when her gaze stopped on her and Gendry. "Princess Arya Stark and Ser Gendry Stark, several of the Lesser Houses of all the kingdoms under my rule, have come forward saying that you have killed their men while in my lands. How do you answer these charges?"

"What?" Arya whispered. "No, we would never hurt anyone."

"Dany, what is this?" Jon asked, but no one seemed to be listening to him.

"They found the bodies of former knights in the Westerlands and the Riverlands, and we have two witnesses that said you were the ones that killed them," Daenerys said.

"They were bandits--" Gendry started, but Daenerys held up a hand to silence him.

"You are people of the North. You have no right to bring forth justice to people under my rule," Daenerys said, and she stood a little taller. "The people that I serve as Queen have demanded a trial for these crimes, and I have decided to grant that. Tomorrow, you will both be charged with the murder of my citizens."

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Jon couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. Daenerys was sitting on the iron throne and saying that she was going to put Arya and Gendry on trial for murder. There wasn't a moment of that that made any sense to him. They just signed a formal alliance, why would she do this? Jon needed answers, and he wasn't sure that Daenerys would give him any. He looked around to Edric, to Edmure, even to Robin, and they all looked just as surprised as he did. So none of them knew this was coming as well, which only made things even worse.

"The accused will be reprimanded to their rooms with the only permitted visitors being the King and Queen in the North. We will meet in the morning for the beginning of the trial. Everyone is dismissed," Daenerys said. Both Arya and Gendry looked a little dazed as guards began to escort them to their rooms. Jon glanced at Val and took a copy of their alliance from his table. They needed to speak with Daenerys, but she was already walking away, and Missandei stepped in front of him.

"The Queen will not speak to you, King Jon," Missandei said.

"I think I have a very good reason to speak to her," Jon snapped, but Val placed a hand on his arm. Perhaps he was not the best one to be speaking right now.

"What he means is these are serious allegations against our kin, and we would like to speak to the Queen about them," Val said.

"They are allegations against Her Grace's kin as well, but that doesn't mean that she will speak to either of you. The trial is happening tomorrow, and that's all I can tell you," Missandei said, and she hesitated. "Spend some time with them, Jon, and look over your copy of the alliance. It's important." Missandei turned and walked away from Jon, and he had no idea what he was supposed to do. Val seemed to realize that he was a little overwhelmed and all but pulled him toward Arya and Gendry's room. The two of them shot to their feet as soon as they walked in the door, and Jon realized that he needed to get himself together.

"Jon--" Arya said, but he held up a hand. The four of them sat down at the table in their room as Jon began to read over the alliance that he just signed. In it, the language stated that citizens of differing kingdoms could not carry out justice on people of other kingdoms. Jon remembered reading that line and didn't think anything of it. He didn't think that there was any reason to be afraid of that line, but there it was, mocking him, and he had signed it.

"It says in our alliance with the crown and Yara that we are not to carry out justice on citizens of different nations," Jon said carefully. "At the time, I didn't think anything of it, but now it appears that I very much need to."

"Explain to us what happened," Val said. Arya and Gendry glanced at each other, and they looked guilty, which just made the pit in Jon's stomach grow. He had hoped it was a misunderstanding, but as he looked at his little sister and his good brother, he wasn't so sure that was the case anymore.

"You know what Gendry and I did during the war," Arya explained. "We took care of bandits and soldiers that were hurting people. We were doing the right thing. When we were at Storm's End after Edric, Bella, and Mya were legitimized, we got word that we should be careful while heading home from Daenerys. There was a group of former Lannister knights roaming the Westerlands and killing people. So, we thought we could help again."

"So we found the bandits, and we killed them," Gendry explained.

"Did you leave any witnesses?" Val asked, and sometimes Jon forgot that his wife used to be a member of a Free Folk raiding party and knew all about attacks like the ones that Arya and Gendry used to do.

"We left the last one to bleed out, but we didn't see him die," Gendry said as he looked at the table. That means the man could have survived and could have told someone what Arya and Gendry were doing. They weren't unknown people anymore; they were a knight and princess of another nation.

"They mentioned the Riverlands too, did that happen at the same time?" Jon asked.

"Do you remember the time we took away before Meera had Jojana?" Arya asked, and Jon closed his eyes. "They were bandits that nearly killed us while going to the Iron Isles! I needed to make sure that they didn't hurt anyone else."

"So you crossed into the Riverlands, and you killed them," Jon said, and they both nodded.

"We should assume there is another witness. You left one once I can only assume you did it again," Val said, and they both winced.

"You're a princess of the North and a knight," Jon said. "You are members of the noble house of another kingdom killing the people of another. There is nothing about this situation that is good for us. If they have witnesses, then it's their word against yours, and the stories of the two of you were spread far and wide after the war."

"Then they know that we never hurt anyone that didn't hurt other people," Gendry said. "Jon, they tried to kill us, they tried to kill Sansa and Theon, would you let them live if they did that?"

"If they were men of the North, then no, I probably wouldn't but lying to me and saying you just needed some time away when you are really sneaking off for this?" Jon snapped, and neither of them said anything. "We need to prepare for a guilty verdict. Perhaps, because Arya is my sister and Gendry is Daenerys' cousin, we could petition banishment to the North if we're lucky."

"Or we could bypass all of that," Arya said, and everyone turned to look at her. "We'll just request a trial by combat."

"And who exactly would be fighting?" Jon asked.

"I would--"

"No," Gendry interrupted, and Jon realized that they hadn't talked about this before he got there. "There is no way we're doing trial by combat."

"It's much easier, and then we don't have to worry about anything," Arya said, and she shrugged like this wasn't a big deal. Jon knew that nothing he said in this matter was going to make a difference, and he glanced at Val. She nodded, and the two of them stood up to leave the room, but Arya and Gendry didn't seem to notice. Jon closed the door to their room and fell against it with his eyes closed.

"A worst-case scenario is what," Val whispered.

"They could be executed or exiled to Essos. We could never see them again," Jon said, and he opened his eyes to see Val watching him carefully. "I almost lost my entire family once, Val, I don't think I can do it again." She didn't say anything, but Val did take his arm and guide him to their room. Jon tried to ignore the fact that there were raised voices in the room they had just left.

+++

Gendry saw Jon and Val leave, and he knew that they should probably stay, but he was far too focused on Arya right now. She was leaning back in a chair and acting like requesting a trial by combat wasn't a big deal when it was a massive one. She could fight, Gendry knew that she could fight, but that didn't mean that she was going to win. That didn't mean that she could kill whoever was chosen as the champion for the south.

"Why are you being so weird about this?" Arya asked as she frowned deeply. "You saw the look in Jon's eyes; he thinks we're probably going to be found guilty."

"You don't know that, and neither does he," Gendry snapped, but the word tasted false even to him. They both knew that they were guilty; it was just that they hoped that the crime wouldn't be seen as a crime when the time came. They thought they were doing the right thing even though it was very apparent that neither of them was looking at the big picture. They weren't Wolf and Bull anymore, and the continent wasn't at war. They couldn't operate the same way because the world was so different from the first time they used violence to try and help people.

"Gendry, why are you being weird about this?" Arya asked again, and she narrowed her eyes. "I would be the one fighting, not you, so we'll be fine."

"You're not invincible, Arya," Gendry said as he stood up and began to pace their room. "You nearly died right alongside me during the Long Night. You're a good fighter, but you're not one of the greatest warriors who ever lived. You don't know for sure that you could win against the person you'd be fighting." Arya jerked like he just hit her and then glared at him.

"Are you afraid that I'd make you look bad as you sat on the sidelines like a maiden while I did the fighting? That your manhood would be somehow lessened when I did the fighting for both of us?" she said.

"You're asking me to stand on the sidelines and potentially watch you die," he said, and Gendry was trying not to yell, but it was getting hard. "I don't give a shit what any of those people think about me and the ones that I would care about know that I wouldn't trust anyone else at my back. This has nothing to do with my manhood; this has everything to do with me being forced to watch you die."

"Because I'm afraid they're going to kill you," Arya blurted, and Gendry frowned because that response didn't make any sense to him, and he said so. "You don't want to watch me die in the trial by combat, but I don't want to watch you die when we're found guilty, and they need to execute someone." For half a moment, Gendry did not understand what she was talking about. If they were found guilty and they needed to be executed that is something that would happen to both of them. Then he realized that he had somehow become complacent in his life and realized what he was forgetting.

"They would execute the upstart bastard knight but not the princess," he said, and Arya looked away from him, which is when he realized that this is what she thought. The reality of their world once again came crashing down, and Gendry remembered how disposable he is compared to her. It didn't matter that Daenerys was the Queen, and he was her cousin; it didn't matter that the Lord and Ladies of Storm's End were his siblings; none of that mattered compared to the fact that she was a Stark and a princess and he was no one. He would always be no one compared to her.

"We're not doing trial by combat," Gendry said flatly. "This is something that impacts us as a couple, and we're married, partners, which means we make decisions together. If we can't decide to do trial by combat, then we're not doing it. We'll just have to take our chances." Arya didn't say anything, and for the rest of the night, they didn't speak. Gendry climbed into bed and closed his eyes. He could feel her at his back, but they didn't touch each other. It wasn't like the night before the Long Night when Gendry knew this was the last time they would be together. Even if they decided to execute them, it wouldn't be tomorrow, and they would have more time together. He had every right to be angry right now, and he refused to feel guilty about going to bed without touching her for one night.

+++

Arya knew that Gendry didn't sleep a wink last night, and neither did she. The trial was looming over her, and she couldn't stop thinking about her father losing his head in front of the Sept. She couldn't stop thinking about heads on pikes and losing the people she loved. She couldn't stop thinking about war and death and everything else. Gendry said that he didn't want the trial by combat, but Arya couldn't take the risk. She could not risk Gendry dying in front of her when they only spared her life because she's a woman, because she's a Stark, because she's a princess. Her life was not worth more than his, and she refused to sit back and do nothing.

Whoever was chosen as the champion, Arya knew she could beat them. She knew that she could kill whoever she needed to to save Gendry's life. She would bathe in blood if it meant keeping him safe, and if that meant making him mad for a couple of days, she was willing to do it. She was ready to do anything, and that included calling for trial by combat without Gendry's permission. Arya was going to fight for both of them, and that was final.

They still didn't speak once the sun rose, and neither of them had slept more than an hour or two. Jon and Val came to see them, and they talked a little about what they would say and how they were going to do this. The problem was lying wasn't going to do any good, and Arya didn't see another way out of this. So she didn't really listen because she was going to call for trial by combat anyway, so it didn't really matter.

They were led in front of all the Lesser Houses as Daenerys and Quentyn walked in. Everyone settled, and Arya tried to calm her nerves.

"We are here to discuss an important matter," Daenerys said. "I have been informed of a crime that has been committed on my lands, and I will see that justice is served. That is the most important thing about all of this; justice. I will not allow terrible things to happen to my people if I can help it, and no one is above the law no matter what standing they may have. Now, shall we proceed?" There were murmurs of agreement, but Arya stood up.

"Your Grace, I wish for trial by combat for my husband and me," Arya said. She refused to look at Gendry or Jon or Val but at Daenerys, who was doing an excellent job of masking her emotions at the moment.

"While that is very noble of you, Princess Arya, I'm afraid that King Tommen Baratheon outlawed trial by combat, and it is a law that I happen to agree with. There will be no trial by combat, so please take a seat so we can begin," Daenerys replied. Arya sat down and felt her blood run cold; no trial by combat meant that there was nothing she could do to protect Gendry from these charges. There was nothing she could do to keep them from killing him and proclaiming it as justice while she got to live. Arya glanced to the side and saw that no one in her family was looking at her. Daenerys nodded to Varys, who was acting as the judge since she did not have a Master of Justice yet.

"Princess Arya Stark, Ser Gendry Stark, when you were in the Westerlands earlier this year after you left Storm's End?" he asked.

"We were," Gendry replied evenly.

"And did you encounter some men while you were traveling?" he asked.

"We encountered some former Lannister knights that were attacking people," Arya said, and she winced when Jon kicked her foot. Perhaps she should have listened because she saw him slowly shake his head.

"You saw these men pillage and hurt people then? Personally?"

"We did not," Gendry said, and Arya pressed her lips together. She knew what they were doing, and there wasn't anything they could do about it.

"So you don't know, for sure, that these men weren't just wandering the Westerlands when you decided to inflict your own brand of justice on them?" Varys asked.

"Lord Varys," Daenerys interrupted. "Please watch how you speak to them."

"Your Grace," Varys said, and he turned back to them. "We have one of the former knights that you attacked, and he has testified that he did not pillage anyone." Arya wanted to ask why they believed the word of a former Lannister knight over them, but the words wouldn't come.

"Is this knight here?" Jon asked. "Or are we to believe that these witnesses exist without actually seeing them?"

"They are here," Varys said. The leader of the bandit group that Arya thought she left bleeding out walked in and explained that while he was on the run, he did not attack or kill anyone. He swore this was the case. They brought out someone claiming to be one of the bandits that had attacked them in the North and claimed that they had killed his friends when they didn't do anything wrong.

"He's lying," Arya hissed. "He was in the North, and he tried to kill us when we were traveling to the Iron Isles. We told Queen Yara about the attack."

"So why did you cross into the Queen's Kingdom to get justice?" one of the Lesser Houses from the Riverlands, Arya thought it was Braken, said. "If these men were in the North, you would have been within your rights to have justice, but they were in the Queen's lands. You hunted them down to get revenge."

"Your Grace," a crownland house, Velayron, said. "This is ignoring the fact that these two have been working their way into the various houses of all of the Kingdoms for this exact purpose. They wanted allies so they could do whatever they wanted."

"Explain," Daenerys said.

"Ser Gendry has bribed his way into the good graces of all the Great Houses here. You wear a crown he made, Your Grace, while his brother and sisters hold Storm's End. Queen Yara is marrying his good sister, and Lord Edmure and Lord Robin wear weapons made by Ser Gendry. Even Lady Ellaria wears jewelry made by Ser Gendry. He was clearly trying to gain favor with as many of the Houses as possible, so when something like this happened, he couldn't be touched. They are manipulating all of you," the lord of House Velayron said.

"No, that's not why I made those things," Gendry said, and his eyes were wide. "I just like making things for people. I wasn't trying to gain any favors from anyone. I would never do that." Arya realized just how many allies they had and how many people liked them or said they had places. They had family or friends in nearly every Kingdom in Westeros, and tokens of appreciation, like the one's Gendry made, were often seen as signs of friendship. Gendry didn't realize that he was making a political statement when he made those commissions, but he was, and the pit in Arya's stomach opened up even more.

"They are being accused of murder not giving away objects," Daenerys said. "We have heard testimony from both sides. We will now let the leaders of the Kingdom's decide their fates." Arya felt a little better because they did have friends and family in various places, and that was going to save them.

"Your Grace," a lord from a house in the Stormlands, Connington, stood up. "As it has been pointed out, the leaders of Westeros are family and friends and allies of the accused. They cannot be counted on to make a just decision." Far too many of the Lesser Houses seemed to agree, and Arya reached over and took Gendry's hand. They held onto each other tightly, as she watched Daenerys frown.

"And what would you have me do, my lord?" Daenerys asked.

"Her Grace is wise and understands the importance of justice and maintaining peace," Lord Ronnet said. "However, Her Grace is also the cousin of Ser Gendry, but we believe that you can make the right decision for all of Westeros." At least a dozen of the Lesser Houses seemed to agree with Connington. The agreements got louder until Daenerys held up a hand to silence all of them.

"My Lords and Ladies, Her Grace Queen Yara, His Grace King Jon, and Her Grace Queen Val," Daenerys said. "Please understand that this decision is not made likely, for I believe the intentions of Ser Gendry and Princess Arya were pure. I do believe that they thought they were doing the right thing. However, intentions are not the thing that matters, and they did take the lives of my citizens, whether they were guilty of any crimes or not." Daenerys hesitated, and she looked at them. "For these crimes, I find you both guilty, and as punishment, you will be banished to remain in the North for the rest of your days. If either of you crosses the border to my lands, it will be seen as an act of war." There was a moment of silence, and then several people began to yell in anger.

"How is that justice? They get to stay in the North and be happy?" one yelled.

"That is no punishment!"

"That is not justice!"

"The Knight is clearly scheming something," the lord of House Velayron snapped. "He needs to be kept close so we can make sure he tries nothing else. He should be sent to Storm's End to stay with his brother and sisters while the Princess goes back to the North for the rest of their days. Either that or one of them should die!"

"No!" Arya yelled, but too many people seemed to think that was a good idea. They wanted Gendry to stay in the south while she was forced to the North, and they wouldn't be able to see each other again.

"Silence," Daenerys yelled at everyone, and fell silent. She looked pained as she looked over at the two of them. "I do not wish to see my cousin or Princess Arya killed. In light of my previous sentence being too lenient and in light of wanting to maintain peace between our Kingdoms, I will amend my sentence. Ser Gendry Stark will be confined to Storm's End for the rest of his days while Princess Arya Stark will be banished to the North for the rest of her days. This is my ruling, and the sentence starts immediately, guards, please take them both to separate rooms." Jon was on his feet in seconds, and Arya could vaguely hear him imploring Daenerys to make another decision. She vaguely heard Edric, Mya, Bella, Edmure, Yara, even Robin all speak up and try to get another ruling, but Daenerys said nothing.

Arya struggled from the guards that pulled her apart from Gendry, and she knew she was yelling. Gendry was fighting against them too, but there were too many people. Arya struggled and fought with everything she had, but they still pulled away from her. Gendry looked back at her, his blue eyes wide and panic, as he vanished around a corner.

Arya felt her entire world collapse and she screamed.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Gendry couldn't believe what was happening. He was struggling against two of the Unsullied that were dragging him away from the main hall. The last thing he saw was Arya looking like she was about to fall apart entirely, and as soon as he vanished from her sight, she screamed in such anguish Gendry just wanted to run to her. These men wouldn't let him, and he'd been found guilty of a crime. He was so conflicted at this moment. He was angry at Arya for trying to get trial by combat even when he told her not to. Gendry was furious at Daenerys for doing this, and he wished he could have five minutes to talk to his cousin so he could figure out what the fuck was going on. He wasn't given any of that as the two guards pulled him into a guest room on the other side of the Red Keep. They released his arms, and Gendry turned to make a run for it, but they both glared at him. They looked just as conflicted as he did, they seemed to know who he was, and they were begging him not to do anything stupid.

Gendry knew he had his father's temper sometimes, but he always did his best to keep it from getting the better of him. Right now, he was barely keeping himself under control and forced himself not to attack two guards who were just following orders even though that was exactly what he wanted to do. He nodded to them, and they both left. Gendry heard the lock turn on his door, and both of the men stayed there to guard it.

He collapsed into a chair and buried his face in his hands. Gendry didn't think the things he made for people could be seen as someone trying to gain influence. He just liked making things; he liked the detail that went into a weapon or a crown or a piece of jewelry. Gendry didn't think of these things as gifts, but as commissions that people asked of him, that was no different from the weapons and armor he built as a child. Gendry knew he should have charged people for these things, but all of the people he was making things for were allies and friends and family. He made the jewelry for Ellaria simply because he could, and he wanted to. The designs were something amazing that he hadn't seen before, and he just wanted a chance to try and make them for fun. They weren't bribes, they weren't him trying to get influence, Gendry didn't know how to play the game, and he didn't want to, but that was the problem. He didn't know so he didn't think.

Sometimes, Gendry forgot that while he felt like a nobody often, that didn't mean he was one. He was a knight and married into one of the most powerful Great Houses in Westeros. His wife is a princess, and he was powerful even if he didn't feel powerful. Gendry remembered hating nobles that would use their power to hurt the smallfolk; he remembered hating royalty that would run around and do whatever they wanted without even thinking of the consequences. Now Gendry hated himself because he'd become one of those nobles. He and Arya ran around thinking they could do whatever they wanted because the men they were killing were bad, but that wasn't their decision to make. They didn't think of what they were doing when they decided to hunt down the bandits and get justice because that's what it felt like to them; justice.

Westeros wasn't at war anymore, and they weren't Wolf and Bull. They were a knight and a princess going around killing people without trial, which was something a younger version of himself would have spat on the ground for. Somewhere along the line, he became the thing he used to rage at as a young man, and Gendry didn't know when it happened.

There was a soft knock at the door, and it opened to reveal Edric, Bella, and Mya. They were both pale, and they paused when they looked at him. They were hesitating, and Gendry didn't trust this.

"Did you know about this?" he asked.

"No," Edric said immediately. "We heard about the bandits getting killed in the Westerlands, but we didn't know it had anything to do with you, and we didn't know Daenerys was going to do this. I swear to you, on my mother's life, we had no knowledge of this." Gendry stared at his brother and sisters, and then the four of them were holding each other tightly. He was so glad to feel them in his arms, and the comfort they brought was almost immediate.

"I'm so sorry," Mya whispered as they all pulled away. Gendry nodded and pulled himself together as he looked at the two of them.

"It's fine. I'll just go North as soon as all of this is over. Yara likes me well enough, and she'll make sure that I get back to the North safely," Gendry said.

"Gendry, you can't do that," Mya said carefully. "You are ordered by royal decree to stay in Storm's End."

"And if you think I'm leaving my wife, you're out of your mind," Gendry snapped, and Edric flinched.

"Gendry, we haven't told you about this because we didn't know who might be listening, but our rule at Storm's End isn't secure," Edric explained. "There are a few Lesser Houses that wanted to be the ones to take over as the Lord of Storm's End and really don't like that the three of us are bastards. There have been some threats, and they are looking for an excuse to overthrow us. If you leave, you'll undermine me and Mya and Bella to those bannermen, and they might take it all away from us."

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Gendry asked.

"You had your own things to deal with," Bella said as she pressed her lips together. "Even if you left and we had nothing to do with it, they would still blame us. They would still say that we were the ones that let you out even if we didn't."

"If they decide to rebel and overthrow us, they could come for our heads," Mya whispered. "And many people could die. There could be a civil war in the Stormlands, and we can't put the smallfolk and our soldiers at risk for one man, Gendry, even if that man is you. So you can't leave, you can't run back to the North, because the second you do things will get much worse for us."

Gendry opened his mouth to tell them to banish him, he would go to Essos and the Free Cities if that's what it took, but there was no telling if that would solve the problem too. Then there was the idea of never seeing the people he considered family again. He thought about how he might never see Edric or Mya or Bella again, and the four of them just found each other. Gendry thought about the North and little Jojana and how much Bran and Meera and Sansa and Theon and Jon and even Val meant to him. If he was banished, he would never see them again too. Gendry sat back down in the chair as the reality of the situation crashed down on him because he couldn't risk a civil war in the Stormlands for himself. He was not a selfish noble who would make the smallfolk bleed for his own needs. He was not a selfish man that would put the lives and well-being of his siblings above his own.

But by the gods, Gendry wished he was a selfish man.

Mya knelt down and looked at him as she took his hands into her own.

"We are going to figure out a way to fix this so you and Arya can be together again, I know we will, but I need you to trust us for a little while until that happens," Mya whispered. "Please, don't do anything rash, I want to lose any of you, and I fear that I would if you tried to leave. Promise me, little brother, promise me that you'll try and let us figure out another way before you do something rash. Promise me." Gendry looked at her and then at Bella and Edric, who were also looking at him with the same pleading expression. He couldn't say no to them, he couldn't even dream of it, and he sighed.

"Do you think they'll let me say goodbye?" Gendry whispered.

"Daenerys is making it sound like you won't," Bella said, but Mya squeezed his hands. She didn't say anything, but she did nod. Gendry watched as she stood up and walked out of the room with her head held high. If anyone could figure out a way to let him say goodbye to Arya for who knows how long it would be her. Bella walked over and wrapped her arms around him. Gendry didn't cry often, but he let himself sob into Bella's fancy dress, and she let him cover her in his tears and everything else.

By the gods did Gendry wish he was a selfish man.

+++

Arya didn't stop fighting the entire time back to her room, and she had exhausted herself by the time the Unsullied dropped her off. Jon and Val both walked into the room as soon, and as soon as they were alone, Jon pulled her into a tight hug. He was whispering kind words to her, but Arya didn't care. She wanted to get out of this room and out of this city with Gendry as fast as possible. Maybe if they ran, no one would be able to catch them.

"I have to go get him," Arya said as she pulled away from Jon.

"Arya, it's not that simple," Jon said as she rubbed her arms. "We have to leave tomorrow. If you stay in the south any longer, it could be seen as an act of war. We need to go home, and we need to figure out another way to fix this."

"No, no, I refuse to accept this. That trial was bullshit Jon, and you know it. Dany barely let us defend ourselves, and you know Gendry, and I wouldn't hurt anyone unless they deserved it," Arya said.

"And who gets to decide who deserves what?" Jon asked her quietly, and Arya felt all of her arguments leave her head because he was right. Even before they signed the treaty, she didn't have a right to decide who would live and die. She wanted to protect people, but she wasn't no one anymore, she wasn't Wolf anymore, she was Princess Arya Stark and claiming her name came with consequences. "The bandits in the Riverlands, why did you go and kill them?"

"They killed people in the North," Arya whispered.

"Did they?" Val asked, "I was told no one on your trip to the Iron Isles was killed, and we didn't receive any summons to deal with bandits in the months before Jon, and I got married. I looked to see if there was anything we needed to deal with, and the bandits you and Gendry killed were not reported to have hurt a single person in the North." Val crossed her arms across the chest and looked away from her. "I understand wanting to keep people safe more than you could ever understand, so allow me to put it this way; when the Free Folk were captured on the other side of the Wall, were they punished under the laws of the North?"

"Yes," Arya replied, and she closed her eyes. She knew that what her and Gendry did wasn't right, but it wasn't wrong either. She just couldn't imagine living in a world without him, and the thought that she would have to leave him in the south broke her heart. "We could break him out of Storm's End and bring him North. No one can touch us if we go North."

"How do you think that would make me look as King?" Jon asked, and Arya opened her eyes. Her brother looked heartbroken, but he also looked so much like her father at that moment that it took her breath away. This was Jon Stark putting the needs of everyone in front of the needs of her, and that was something she knew he never wanted to do. "Do you think I can let what is essentially a fugitive into the North and not suffer consequences? Do you think I can let you go and break him out without it being seen as an act of war? Arya, I don't see a way out of this, not right now. We need to get back to the North, where it's safer. Once we're there, we can think of something else to do."

"Why didn't Daenerys protect us? Aren't we family?" Arya asked, and Jon shook his head.

"I don't know, and once we're safe in the North, I plan on asking her, but right now, my priority is you. We don't want to worry about what happens if we stay. It could end badly for all of us, and the last thing we want is a war. We can't go to war again, Arya, we can't. We need to maintain the peace for the sake of everyone in Westeros," he said. Arya pulled away from her brother and hugged herself because he was right. She couldn't risk a war between the south and the North for her own desires and for one man even if he meant the world to her. How could she claim to want the best for the smallfolk if she was so willing to put them at risk? They were the ones that would suffer if another war happened, and she didn't want that. Arya had seen enough bloodshed during the last war, and she didn't want it to happen again.

"Arya," Val said, and she turned to look at her good sister. "I swear to you, as your Queen and as your family, that I will find a way to bring him back. Jon and I will work tirelessly to figure out why this happened and how we can fix it, but right now, we need to make a retreat as quickly as possible. This isn't a war, but it is a battle, and right now, we aren't able to be on the offensive, so we need to be defensive for all of our sakes."

"Do you think they'll let us say goodbye?" Arya said.

"I don't know," Jon said as he walked over and pulled her into another hug. Arya looked over her shoulder as Val nodded once and walked out of the room without another word. Arya didn't know what was going on, but she let Jon hold her. She wanted to know why this was happening, but Val was right. They needed to make for the North as fast as possible for all of their sakes.

For the rest of the day, Arya tried not to think. Missandei came by and told them that they wouldn't be able to say goodbye and then left without another word. She looked sad, conflicted even, and Jon didn't try to talk to Daenerys. Right now, they needed to be home with Sansa and the rest of the family to figure out what they were going to do next. Val returned a little while later, and she spoke quietly to Jon. They began to pack up their things, and Arya realized how many of Gendry's things were in the room. There were Tohbo Mott's tools, his hammer, his clothing, and Arya was fairly sure that Gendry would get the opportunity to keep it, but she wasn't sure.

It was late, and it seemed that Jon and Val were staying with her tonight. The bed was massive, and there was enough room for the three of them to share with plenty of distance between them. A few servants came by and dropped off extra bedding and all of Jon and Val's things as the sun went down. Arya wanted to go to sleep so she wouldn't have to think about this when there was a knock on the door. Val got up and opened the door to reveal Mya and Gendry. Jon looked surprised to see them, and Arya realized that this must have been something that Val and Mya planned.

"We can't give you long," Mya said. Jon looked like he wanted to object, but Val took him by the arm and pulled him out of the room, and when the door closed, it was just the two of them. Arya wasn't sure if this was going to make things worse or better, but she ran over and jumped into Gendry's arms, and they just held each other like a lifeline.

"I thought about running," he whispered into her hair. "I thought about running North or to the Free Cities."

"I know, I did too," Arya replied as she pulled away to look him in the eye. The last time she felt like this, it was before the Long Night and how she thought she might lose him. Now she was losing on him, on some level, and it hurt worse than any stab wound Arya had ever received. "The ramifications though--"

"I know," Gendry said as he leaned forward and pressed his forehead against hers, and they stayed close, breathing each other in. "I promise you; I will find a way to get back to you. I won't stop looking, not ever, not until the end of my days."

"I promise I won't stop fighting for you," Arya replied. "I promise I will find a way for us to be together because we didn't fight so long and so hard not to be together until the end of our days. We didn't go through hell only to get torn apart by this. I am yours."

"And you are mine," Gendry whispered, and he closed the distance between them. Arya poured everything she could into that kiss. She didn't want Gendry to think for even a second that she didn't love him, that he wasn't one of the most important people to her, that she would do just about anything to keep him.

"I'll find a way to get you your things from the North," Arya said, but Gendry shook his head.

"I want you to look after my things and the Valyrian Steel. You're the only one I would trust with it, and it's a reminder that I have to come home to get it someday. I need to figure out how to reforge it, and I want to figure it out with you by my side," he said. She pulled him into another hug and held on tightly. Arya didn't want to cry because it felt like weakness, but the tears were forming in her eyes even as she tried to fight them. She could feel Gendry's tears on her neck, and something about her strong husband silently weeping in her arms broke something in her.

There was a knock on the door, and Arya hated Mya, Val, and Jon for ruining this moment because the second Gendry walked through that door, she didn't know when she would see him again. She didn't know if she would ever see him again, and Arya dug her nails into his shoulders as if she could fight off the inevitable.

"Gendry," Mya said softly. "Please, we have to go, you know why we have to go."

"I know," Gendry whispered as he pulled away from Arya and pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead. She watched as Gendry gave Jon a tight hug and whispered a few things to him, and he also hugged Val as he thanked her for giving them this. Arya looked at Mya, who was clearly doing her best to remain a rock. She gathered Gendry's things and handed them to Mya.

"Look after him for me," Arya said.

"With my life," Mya replied without hesitation. It broke something deep within her to see Gendry start to walk through that door, and every instinct in her body told Arya to run to him, to fight with everything she had, but she held back. She held back because the other options included leaving her family forever and dooming Westeros to another war. Gendry turned and looked at her.

"I love you," he said, and Arya could feel how much he meant those words, and she knew, deep down in her soul, that no one else would ever compare to this man. No one else would ever make her feel the way he did, and that was worth fighting and hanging on for.

"I love you too," Arya replied. One moment he was there, standing in the door, looking at her with red-rimmed blue eyes, and the next he was gone. That night, Arya slept wrapped in Jon's arms like she was a little girl with Val rubbing her back, and they didn't say a word when she kept the three up most of the night with her tears.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Arya woke up warm, and, for half a moment, she thought everything was fine. She thought that Gendry was nearby and they were back in Winterfell and everything would be good for them. She thought she was moments away from Gendry kissing her forehead so he could go out into the forge to work while she settled down for a few more hours of sleep. The reality of the world wasn't so kind and remembered that everything was about as far from fine as possible. Arya didn't know how she was supposed to deal with this new reality that she was living in, where she had to leave Gendry in the south, and she didn't know when she was going to see him again.

Yesterday, she was upset, and she cried into Jon's shirt for most of the night while Val tried to shush her. It reminded her when she had nightmares, and she would run into her parent's bedroom, and they would hold her. Those years didn't last long, but they were good memories, and she appreciated that Jon and Val were looking out for her. She was upset yesterday, but today she woke up angry, and Arya wanted to stomp across the Red Keep and demand that Daenerys explain why the fuck she let all of this happen.

Arya took a deep breath and released it slowly. That was the kind of thing that would get all of them killed, and she needed to keep herself under control. Jon and Val were right that now was not the time to lose her temper. They needed to get out of the city and back to the North as fast as possible for their own safety. While the Lesser Houses that were calling for the trial seemed more focused on Gendry than her, that didn't mean she was safe. That didn't mean there wasn't someone waiting to put a knife in her back. At least, back in Winterfell, she could relax a little while they tried to think of a plan.

Jon and Val both woke up, and the three of them began to pack their things. A servant brought them some food, and Jon called in a Northern guard to test it to make sure it was safe, which made Arya even angrier. She didn't want to think that someone in Daenerys' home would try and hurt her, but they didn't know what the fuck was going on right now. It didn't take long to eat their food and pack the last of their things. The sun was barely up, and Jon wanted to be out of the city by the time the sun was high in the sky. They walked down the long hallways on the way to the stables, and of all people she thought she would see waiting for them, Quentyn Martell was not one of them.

"Your Graces," Quentyn said with a nod of his head. None of them replied to him as they stared and waited to see what he would do. Quentyn nodded like this is the kind of reaction that he was expecting. "Of course, I understand. I want to wish you all a safe journey back to Winterfell, and Daenerys does as well. She looks forward to speaking with you via raven very soon, King Jon."

"She didn't want to come and tell me this herself?" Jon asked.

"There is someone else she wanted to speak to as well, so she sent me," Quentyn replied, and he stood up a little taller. "I hope that when the raven comes, you'll read what's in it." Arya narrowed her eyes and wondered exactly what Quentyn was talking about. He nodded to them and walked away without another word.

"Whatever is happening, I don't expect Dany will put it in a raven for anyone to see. It's going to be a code or something sent by a courier and someone she trusts," Jon said as they made their way to the stables.

"That's going to make everything take longer," Val said, which was the last thing that Arya wanted to hear. She set her jaw and tried not to think about how Daenerys wouldn't even face them, but then she thought about her own temper and reputation and wasn't really that surprised. They were almost done tacking up the horses when two men began to approach them. Arya looked up, a hand on her sword, and saw Edmure and Robin approaching them. The Riverlands were one of the places where they were being accused, and she saw red. Before anyone could say anything, Arya marched up to Edmure, fisted his shirt in her hands, and sneered at him.

"Did you have anything to do with?" she hissed.

"Arya, you can't think--" Edmure started, but Arya nearly shook him, and she was so angry at everyone and everything that she could barely see straight.

"The deaths in the Riverlands are part of the reason we're here, so I'm going to ask you again; did you have anything to do with this?" Arya asked again.

"Your husband helped rescue Roslin and me, he gave me the sword at my hip, and both of you carried me to safety during the Long Night. How could you think I would want to harm either one of you? I owe you both my life and the lives of my wife and son more than once?" Edmure said, and he almost looked hurt by the accusation. Arya didn't know what she was supposed to do with a look like that, but she released his tunic and took a step back. She could feel Jon glaring at her, but she ignored him. There were other things to focus on.

"So neither of you knew anything about this?" Jon asked.

"Her Grace asked us to stay after the wedding for some court business, but she didn't mention anything about you or our family," Robin said, and he frowned. "I was a little surprised to hear someone say that Gendry was trying to gain political points. I'm fairly sure the man doesn't have a political bone in his body." Arya bristled against that comment and wanted to argue that Gendry was better than Robin ever would, but she held her tongue. That wasn't going to help anyone.

"It is a thing noble's do, though," Edmure said with a sigh. "Those kinds of trinkets could seem like bribes if they came from a different man. Gendry probably wanted to make the jewelry for Lady Ellaria because she asked, and he wanted to see if he could." Edmure looked at her sadly and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry this is happening niece. We can hope that the sentence will be short. This is cruel, and Her Grace has never struck me as cruel."

"Even if you never see him again, at least he's still alive," Robin said as he examined his nails with a frown. "At least, for now, who knows what will happen if the Stormlands decide to have a civil war." Arya felt her blood run cold because this was the first she had heard about anything resembling political unrest in the Stormlands. Bella never told them anything while she was visiting in the North, and none of the Baratheon siblings said anything this entire weekend. Arya tried to keep herself from thinking of the worst things possible, but she couldn't, and the thought of Gendry leaving the peaceful North to go to a south that could have a civil war on their hands was too much for her to deal with.

In retrospect, it wasn't Robin's fault for saying what he said, and it was information that she needed. In fact, if she had a guess, her cousin probably thought he was being nice when he said these things. Arya wasn't in the right frame of mind to think that way at that moment. So, instead, she pulled away from Edmure and punched Robin right in the nose. He hit the ground hard, and Arya felt her knuckles scream in pain. There was the sound of guards running toward them, but Robin held up a hand.

"It's fine!" he yelled. "We're cousins, and I said something to offend the lady." The guards hesitated but didn't run forward to throw Arya in the Black Cells, which was a good thing. She stood over Robin and watched as he held a hand to his bleeding nose. Arya clenched her fists and then opened her hand to offer him help up. Robin looked at her like he didn't believe that she was about to help him, but he took the hand nevertheless.

"Arya, for fucks sake," Jon muttered.

"If anyone asks, just say you got it from a great warrior," Edmure said. "It wouldn't be a lie."

"Isn't that the truth," Robin muttered as he touched his tender nose though the bleeding seemed to have stopped. Arya was a little glad she hadn't broken it; Robin was a bit of a ponce and snotty, but he wasn't a bad person. "I thought you knew about the unrest in the Stormlands. Lady Bella was just in Winterfell; I assumed she must have told you."

"She didn't," Arya deadpanned. "So, how do you know?"

"Mya keeps in touch with Lord Royce about the state of Vale, and he tells me things," Robin said with a shrug. "She was looking for advice, and Lord Royce was able to give it to her. She is one of my people, initially, if you remember correctly."

"I'm sorry for punching you," Arya said quickly, and Robin waved her off.

"We should go," Val said. "That little display is going to get attention, and we need to get out of the city."

"Travel safe," Edmure said as he and Robin took a step back. There was blood on Robin's sky blue clothing but didn't seem that mad about it. Maybe there was more steel in her cousin's spine than she initially thought. These two men were family regardless of everything, and they could be key allies in getting Gendry back someday.

"I'll send ravens as soon as I can," Jon said. They were all on their horses and began riding out of the city. Arya glanced over her shoulder at the Red Keep as they got to the gates, and it felt like someone was slowly pushing a dull knife into her chest. She had to focus; she wasn't going to get Gendry back like this. Arya turned her back on King's Landing and began to ride North to safety, silently pledging to be back to take her husband home.

+++

Mya was the one who arranged him getting the chance to say goodbye to Arya, but it was Bella and Edric that made sure the guards didn't suspect anything. They were waiting in his room when they got back, and Gendry just sort of fell into their arms. He didn't know his siblings that well, but he trusted them enough to know that they had his best interests in mind. So when they all piled into the giant bed in the room together, Gendry thought it was a little weird until he realized that this is something that siblings did when they looked out for each other. Arya would tell him stories about how she used to do the same thing with Jon when she was younger. So he didn't fight when they all stayed in his room as his sisters bracketed him on both sides, and Edric put himself between all of them and the door.

The next morning the three of them had various errands around the city that needed to be run so they could leave later in the afternoon. Gendry didn't think he was permitted to leave the castle, and he didn't really want to test it to see if he could. Instead, he woke up at dawn and sat in front of the window. He looked outside and began to work on perfecting Mott's old tools so he could bring them with him to Storm's End. He needed something to do with his hands, or Gendry was going to go out of his damn mind. It felt like someone punched him in the gut when he watched the Stark's leave King's Landing, and he knew Arya was among them. He wondered if she could feel him watching her, and he wishes this wasn't happening.

The Stark's were just leaving the city when there was a knock on the door. Gendry thought about grabbing his hammer, but whoever it was, it didn't matter. Even if he managed to get away from the city, Gendry knew that he had to go with his siblings to Storm's End and act like he was going to accept this punishment without fighting.

"Come in," Gendry called out, and whoever he was expecting it to be at his door, it was not Daenerys. She was dressed down in a black dress with red dragons on it, and her hair was in a simple braid for her. She was overly pale, maybe even a little sickly looking, and there were dark circles under his eyes. Gendry was on his feet in a second, but he had no idea what he was going to do. He couldn't attack the Queen of the Six Kingdoms in her own palace and not expect anyone he ever loved to die as a consequence. "What are you doing here?" he demanded because just because he wasn't going to hurt her didn't mean he had to be nice.

"I needed to see you," Daenerys said as she took a seat at his table. "Please, sit down, let me explain what happened so you can understand why I had to make the ruling I made." Gendry eyed her and didn't say anything, nor did he move. "Please, Gendry, I'm not asking you to forgive me, but you need to understand what happened for your own sake." That was probably true, and he set the tools aside so he could sit down at the table with her.

"That trial was bullshit," Gendry said.

"Yes, it was," Daenerys replied.

"You're the Queen; you should have done something about it. I'm your kin as you so like to remind me, so why didn't you act like it?" Gendry snapped, and Daenerys pressed her lips together as she took a deep breath and released it slowly.

"I made the ruling I made because I couldn't see another way to ensure that you lived," she explained. "Have your siblings told you about the unrest in the Stormlands?"

"They told me that me escaping to the North could lead to a rebellion of some of the Lesser Houses, but that was about it."

"Yes, and that is true. Several houses in the Stormlands blame Robert and, by extension, his kin for everything terrible that has happened in Westeros for the last several decades. They believe that bastards shouldn't be in the seat at Storm's End regardless of how well your sister and Edric are doing. These Houses are just looking for any and all excuses to turn on your siblings. I was offering what support I could, and I made sure that everyone knew that they were the ones I chose to put in Storm's End, but it didn't seem to make a difference. Those Lesser Houses still look at your siblings as upstart bastards reaching far beyond their scopes."

"That's not good, and I wish my siblings would have told me about it, but I don't see what that has to do with what happened to me," Gendry said.

"I know, and I'm afraid this is complicated, so bear with me," Daenerys replied. "When I received word of the deaths, I also got word from over a dozen of the Lesser Houses from all over Westeros. They accused the Stark's and you of overreaching your power and that Jon was trying to find a way to take back his abdication from the throne. They said that the North is coming to conquer all of Westeros and that we needed to tell them that we wouldn't be conquered. They said that you, in particular, were a traitor turning against your own people to try and conquer the south."

"That is insane," Gendry said after a beat of silence where he couldn't believe what he was hearing. This was utterly insane.

"I know, and I agree, but that didn't stop all of these Lesser Houses from threatening to rebel. They said that if I wouldn't fight back and put the North back in its rightful place, then they would find a King or Queen that would. That threatened to throw the entire country back into war if I didn't teach the North a lesson, and you and Arya were easy targets," Daenerys explained.

"Because we had overstepped by killing the bandits," he said as several things began to make a little more sense.

"Yes, you have, and I know you both know that. I thought that banishing you both to the North would be enough to appease the Houses, but you saw the way they reacted."

"And I'm the upstart bastard knight while Arya is a princess. They see me as a traitor at best and part of the catalyst that brought the downfall of the Stormlands at worst. If they were going to kill anyone, it was going to be me because I'm the disposable one."

"And you're my kin," Daenerys said, and she sighed heavily. "This was all before Quentyn, and I got married, so perhaps once my rule is more secure, I can show everyone that I am not a Queen to be bullied, but if I turned them down, they could accuse me of favoritism like they did during the trial. You and Arya have a lot of allies in a lot of powerful places, and that was being used against you. So, Gendry, you have to try to understand that if I didn't punish you and Arya I would have had another war on my hands and it would have only been a matter of time before they turned their eyes on the North."

"Mya, Edric, and Bella said the same thing when I mentioned just running to the Free Cities or sneaking up to the North. It would cause deaths of innocent people, and as someone who says that I want the best for the smallfolk, I can't exactly argue with that," Gendry said, and he rested his face in his hands. All of this came down to war; there would be a civil war if he left the Stormlands, there would be a war if Arya left the North, there would be a war if Daenerys didn't punish them accordingly. "We just finished a war, why is everyone so eager to have another one?"

"If we knew the answer to that, we wouldn't ever have another war," Daenerys said sadly. "The trial was bullshit, I completely agree with you, and it shouldn't have happened. I did everything I could to try and convince them not to do it, but I couldn't. Nothing I said and nothing I did would appease them, and I couldn't risk another war with my reign so fragile. I may be a Taragayn, but that doesn't mean I want everything to end in fire and blood. If I didn't punish you for the death of my people, that could cause more Houses to rebel against me."

"What about the bandits? You know they were guilty, right? You know Arya, and I wouldn't hurt anyone unless they hurt other people," Gendry said as he removed his hands from his face. Daenerys suddenly smiled a smile that promised death.

"They will be found guilty of that today and execute with my dragon. You are welcome to come and witness it if you would like," she said, but Gendry shook his head. That wouldn't give him back what he had lost, and knowing why it happened didn't help him in any way. Arya was still lost to him for what could be the rest of his days.

"So we had to sacrifice my happiness and marriage to prevent a war on multiple fronts," Gendry said.

"I'm afraid so," Daenerys replied.

"Fucking noble bullshit," Gendry said, and Daenerys hummed in agreement.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Daenerys stayed for a little while after that conversation, but she seemed to understand that while the explanation was nice, it didn't actually make anything better. It just made Gendry hate everyone a little more and made him wish that he hadn't ever gotten involved with all of these court politics. He kept his head down; he thought he was keeping his head down, but no matter what he did, he always seemed to get caught up in them again and again. It didn't matter if he was in the North or the south the no matter what he did, he got pulled into this bullshit, and he hated it. Gendry didn't resent Arya for bringing the two of them into this life, and he didn't regret marrying her, but sometimes he wished he could just be a blacksmith, and she could be his warrior wife.

Mya, Bella, and Edric walked into the room not long after, and they were all staring at him.

"The guards said that Dany was here," Edric said. "Did she explain herself? Did she tell you why this happened?" She never said he needed to keep this in confidence, and his siblings needed to know. So as they gathered the last of their things from their rooms, Gendry told them about the angry Lesser Houses and how they were demanding justice in a way that Daenerys couldn't really say no to without causing a war. None of them looked happy about this explanation either, but they all seemed to understand that they were in a very similar position in the Stormlands.

Gendry was glad that they seemed to be the last of them to leave. Edmure and Roslin had left not long after the Stark's and Robin not long after that. Gendry heard rumors that Arya might have punched Robin right in the face, and for half a second, Gendry thought he was going to see people chasing after his wife to hang her. Robin, apparently, let the whole thing go and just took the bloodied nose with grace, which was more than Gendry was expecting from the man. Maybe there was a little more to him than he thought, and Robin did have Lord Royce there now as a good influence. Maybe there was hope for him yet.

So Gendry was glad that everyone seemed to have left because the last thing he wanted was to have any sort of conversation with one of the Lesser Houses. They got out of King's Landing and made for the Stormlands without any problem. For half a moment, Gendry thought they were home free, and then he saw the banner for House Connington. There was no avoiding him, and when they all met up, Lord Connington smiled and said they should share a camp. Edric narrowed his eyes but agreed as they all set up their things.

"I'm very glad I ran into you, my lord," Connington said. "I wanted to ask you what you are planning on doing with your brother."

"You mean my brother, who is literally sitting right next to me as you speak as if he isn't here?" Edric asked. Mya and Bella both ate their food but kept their eyes on the situation. They knew as well as Gendry did that Edric could only take so much before he damn near went feral, and the last thing they needed was the Lord of Storm's End punching one of his vassals.

"Yes, that brother," Connington said as if Edric hadn't said anything unusual to him. "I expected more considering the circumstances."

"And what circumstances would those be?" Gendry asked, and Connington jumped like he wasn't expecting Gendry to say anything. As he thought, Gendry would sit back and let them have a conversation about him while he was sitting right there.

"What I mean, ser, is that you aren't of the south anymore, and it is quite apparent," Connington explained in a snotty tone, and out of the corner of his eye, he swore that Edric's eye twitched. "So I don't see how we can possibly trust you. I would have thought your brother or your sister would have slapped irons on you so you can spend some time in the dungeons like the traitor you are." Edric was on his feet in seconds, but Mya reached out and took his wrist to keep him from charging Connington. Connington, on the hand, looked genuinely surprised that Edric reacted that way.

"Allow me to be perfectly clear, Lord Connington," Edric said in a low and very dangerous voice. "Gendry is my brother, and I would never slap irons or throw him in a dungeon. He is coming to Storm's End to service the sentence that you yourself helped pass. For that disrespect alone, I should strip you of every holding you have, but since I am in a forgiving mood right now, I'm going to allow you to walk away from this camp."

"My Lord, it's the middle of the--"

"Right now," Edric continued as if Connington hadn't said a word. "And the next time we meet, I expect to have a formal apology about why you thought telling me not only how to handle my own keep but my own family was a good idea." Edric sat back down, picked up his food, and began to eat again, but none of them looked away from Connington. Connington opened his mouth like he was going to argue and then wisely decided against it. He glared at Edric, stood up, and walked away from the fire. Mya silently got up, two guards at her heels, and they followed no doubt to make sure that he left. The tension finally broke, and Gendry relaxed a little.

"You didn't need to do that for me," he said.

"Bullshit," Bella snapped. "You're our brother, and we won't have someone speak to you that way no matter who they are. If they don't respect our decisions concerning you, then they don't respect us, then they aren't worthy of our time."

"You need allies, though," Gendry pointed out, but Edric waved him off.

"Connington is one of the ones who doesn't like us because Robert took a bunch of his land away, so he's taking it out on us. It doesn't matter, and I still won't stand for it," he said. It warmed Gendry's heart a little and reminded him that even though he hadn't spent a ton of time with his siblings, they all still loved each other. This was going to be impossible to get through, but maybe it was going to be a little more tolerable with all of them with him.

+++

Connington was long gone by the time they woke up in the morning, and the rest of the ride to Storm's End was uneventful. The people greeted his siblings warmly, and all three of them made sure to greet the people back. As he expected, they were nobles that put the smallfolk first, and he adored them for it. A familiar face was waiting for him when they got to the main door of Storm's End. Davos' smile looked a little sad, and he pulled Gendry into a tight hug the second his feet touched the ground.

"I'm guessing you heard?" he said because he couldn't come up with any other reason for this sort of greeting.

"Maybe I'm just happy to see you whole and healthy, lad," Davos said as he pulled away so he could look at Gendry. "I did hear, and I'm very sorry that it happened that way. You know your brother and sisters will figure something out."

"Thank you," Gendry replied as Davos began to guide him into the keep. Storm's End was still massive, and the sheer size of the castle always took him by surprise.

"Your brother had a forge installed right outside the castle for your personal use right after you left because I know you're going to want to take some of that legendary anger out on some metal," Davos explained. "Besides that, you can go wherever you want within the castle, but it's probably best if you stay close for now. We don't know what's going on outside of these walls these days."

"They told me," Gendry said as he watched Edric, Mya, and Bella fall into their respective roles around the castle and got to work without even stopping to rest. It was late in the afternoon, and it would have been completely reasonable for them to stop and rest after a journey, but they didn't. "Thank you, Davos, from coming here and helping look after them. They couldn't ask for a better man to guide them."

"Thank you, lad, but they needed very little guidance from me," Davos said as he looked at Gendry's siblings fondly. "They have good hearts with the loyalty of the smallfolk behind them. I just hope that will be enough if the other nobles start to get antsy." Gendry didn't like the sound of that, but Bella was coming over, grabbing Gendry by the arm, and insisting that he go with her for some reason or another. Gendry glanced over his shoulder at Davos, who smiled and nodded.

For the rest of the afternoon and well into the evening, Gendry helped his siblings with what he could around the castle and came to a startling discovery; he knew very little about ruling. His place in Winterfell was purposely without much in the way of responsibility, and he knew that Sansa and Jon did most of the work. However, going around with Edric, Mya, and Bella was a stark reminder that he didn't know what he was doing when it came to these sorts of things. It made him feel a little useless that he couldn't help them where they obviously needed it, but Mya placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled at him.

"Little brother, we can teach you whatever you want to learn about, but we aren't expecting anything from you. You're here as a guest and as family. If you want to work, you can work, and if you don't, that's fine too," she said. That night, after a big dinner that left Gendry so full he thought he was going to be sick, he looked out the window of his room for hours. The last time he was here, it was with Arya, and they had decided to go looking for the bandits in the Westerlands. It felt like a lifetime ago. Gendry sighed, climbed in bed, and let himself mourn what he was currently missing. He refused to be a burden to his siblings, and that meant getting to work in the morning.

+++

The trip back to the North was uneventful, which Arya was more than thankful for. The last thing they needed was more bandits attacking them or running into one of the Houses that separated her and Gendry. He was all she could think about as they got further and further away from King's Landing and Storm's End. She knew that he was with good people, that his siblings would look after him, but Gendry was seen as an enemy to some of the Lesser Houses, and she couldn't imagine what might happen if they decided to do something about it. Arya had to remind herself that her husband was strong, and he wasn't stupid despite what plenty of people thought. Gendry knew when to keep his head down and when to fight, and she was so grateful that she knew how well he could defend himself if the worst happened.

Sansa, Bran, Meera, and Theon were all waiting for them when they got back to Winterfell. Jon had asked Edmure to send a raven, so they knew what was happening, and Arya was very proud of how well she held it together. That is until Sansa pulled her into a tight hug, and it all came back to her. They shared a bed for the first time since they were girls that night, and Arya just appreciated that people were willing to help her through this.

Arya wanted to write to him, but she wasn't sure if that was allowed or not. There was also the fact that with things so tense between the North and the crown, there was a chance that Jon wouldn't want her to send ravens in case someone shot it down. Arya didn't think she was dumb enough to reveal something to people that could be her enemies, but no one wanted to take a risk. It seemed that Daenerys didn't want to take the risk either since her letter explaining herself was hand-delivered by a member of the Unsullied, which kind of shocked Arya. They all sat down as Jon read the letter out loud that explained exactly what happened.

The explanation didn't really help, but it was good to know that Daenerys wasn't their enemies, not really anyway. She was backed into a corner the same way they had been several times since Jon took the crown. A new ruler was weak, and everyone knew it, and no one wanted to be the one to doom Westeros to yet another war. The Lesser Houses played on the fact that Daenerys gave a shit about the people of Westeros, and Arya hated them for using kindness against someone in such a terrible way. The letter also explained that Daenerys had explained all of this to Gendry as well and that she would look after him to the best of her abilities in the south. So now Arya knew what was going on and it just made her angry, which didn't really help things that much.

The reality of it all came when they'd been back at Winterfell for a month, and Corbin walked up to her.

"Your husband, I heard he's not coming back," he said.

"No, I'm afraid not," Arya replied carefully.

"Well, that's too bad. We thought we had figured out a way to get that dragon to fly again, but I don't know many smiths who could make what needs to be made and get the thing on the dragon without getting eaten alive," Corbin replied with a heavy sigh.

"He'll be home someday, and then the two of you will make that dragon fly again together," Arya said. "You'll see." Corbin didn't look like he really believed her, and Arya wasn't sure if she believed it herself. She had to, though; she had to believe that there was a chance that Gendry could come home to her someday. Arya knew it couldn't be the only thing that kept her going, though, so she threw herself into her work. There were many things that a princess and a warrior could do, and Arya started to work on all of them at once. She went to smaller towns and helped with supplies. She traveled with Val and sometimes Sansa to the Lesser Houses, who were always so pleased to see two princesses instead of one. None of them called attention to the fact that Gendry was gone even though the whole North seemed to know.

Arya heard the whispers, and she hated them so very much. People thought that Gendry was sent away because of terrible reasons, and nothing she said was going to change those minds. She made sure that her wedding ring was always visible and made sure to draw attention to it. Her husband was still alive, he just wasn't here, and Arya didn't want anyone getting any funny ideas.

It seemed that some people didn't get the memo, and the first time Jon got a raven with a marriage offer for Arya's hand, she watched her older brother throw a goblet across a room in anger. Val was the one to reply to that letter because Jon didn't think he could keep a steady hand. Arya had never hated being a noble more in her entire life. It reminded her too much of being a child and not having any control over who she got to marry. Jon could only say no for so long before it got bad.

In retrospect, she shouldn't have been surprised that it was House Dustin that showed up without informing them ahead of them. Arya clenched her fists and tried not to react when they rode up to Winterfell, and she hated how smug both Lord Dustin and Ryon looked like they had somehow won. Arya knew that they wanted Gendry out of the North, but the mere idea of anyone being happy that her husband was taken away from her makes her see red. They haven't seen her yet, and she runs through Winterfell to find Jon and Val.

"House Dustin just arrived," Arya said.

"Without notice, I see," Val said as she looked at Jon. "I thought you told them that they are on thin ice with you."

"That I did," Jon replied, and he looked at Arya. "Which family members decided to show up after we told them not to?"

"Lord Dustin and Ryon," Arya replied, and she clenched her fists. "They're here for me, I know they are, they are here because they think they can ask for my hand with Gendry down in the Stormlands. They all think my marriage is over because of what happened, and that means they can start trying to buy me like a hog."

"No one is buying anyone," Jon said. "Besides, Gendry isn't dead, so your marriage is still valid as far as I'm concerned. I don't know what these people think they can gain from trying to provoke me like this." Val looked thought for a moment and then turned to Arya.

"The last time they were here, you couldn't punish them because Jon was unmarried, and you didn't have a large army, is that correct?" she asked, and Arya nodded. "Well, Jon is very much married now, and you have most of the Free Folk standing behind you. I think it's time to remind this Lord Dustin, who is really in charge of the North. Jon? I'd like to handle this myself." Jon blinked and looked a little surprised. This was the first time Val had ever asked to take care of something like this herself instead of the two of them working on it together. She must have seen Jon's confusion. "I have a particular distaste for men who don't understand the meaning of the word 'no' when it comes to women."

"I'll stay close by if you need me," Jon said after a beat of silence. Val smiled, tossed her long braid over her shoulder, and turned to Arya. "Shall we?" The two of them began to walk to the front gates where they knew Lord Dustin and Ryon would be waiting. Val sent word ahead to guards to let them into the Great Hall.

"I might punch someone," Arya said as they waited for Lord Dustin and Ryon to arrive. "I just thought you should know about that."

"I saw you punch your cousin, Arya, and I trained you with a dagger. I know what you're capable of," Val replied, which was not exactly a condemnation of potential punching but not encouragement either. Arya didn't get the chance to think it over as Lord Dustin and Ryon were escorted into the Great Hall. The smirks they were wearing fading when they saw Val standing before them and not Jon.

"Your Grace," Lord Dustin said as he knelt. "I was expecting to see King Jon. I have an important matter to discuss with him."

"Jon has sent me in his place to deal with whatever important matter you might have to discuss," Val replied. Her voice was cold, and Arya thought of Winter Queens.

"Oh, Your Grace, and Princess Arya, we heard about what happened in the south. I came here to tell you that my son--"

"I'm going to stop you before you finish that sentence," Val snapped. "I seem to remember being told the last time you were here; you were given barely a slap on the wrist for the insults you leveled at your princesses and your King. It seems that those words have not sunk in considering you are standing before me and refusing to accept that the answer when it comes to Arya and Sansa is no. And Lord Dustin, allow me to tell you that there is nothing I loathe more in this world than a man who cannot understand the word 'no' when it comes to women."

"Your Grace, we meant no insult--" Ryon started, but Arya bared her teeth.

"You come here for the second time trying to buy me despite the fact that marriage is still very much intact, and I plan to reunite with my husband someday," Arya said. "The fact that you're here is a grave insult to us."

"I agree," Val said, and Arya got a certain amount of pleasure watching both Lord Dustin and Ryon pale considerably. "As Queen in the North, I hereby strip you and both of your sons of your lands and titles. I'm sure there is a cousin somewhere that will understand decorum when it comes to matters of marriage in the North and decrees by your King." Both Lord Dustin and Ryon sputtered and tried to say things, but Val turned on her heel to walk away. Lord Dustin made the mistake of reaching for Val's arm, and Arya reacted; she punched him. There was a satisfying feeling that she broke his nose and maybe knocked out a tooth. Lord Dustin fell to the ground, bleeding, and Arya glared down at him. She wanted to say something, but no words felt like enough. Lord Dustin and his sons had lost everything already, and she broke his nose.

All in all, Arya felt like she had won a fight for the first time in a long time.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Gendry spent the next month of his life trying not to be useless to his siblings. Despite how much Eldric and Mya and Bella kept telling him that he didn't need to do anything, there was no possible way that he could sit idle for however long this whole thing was going to last. So Gendry did his best to stay busy. The easiest thing he could do was throw around his title as a Knight and just follow whichever of his siblings needed a guard at any given time to make sure that they didn't get hurt. None of them really needed it, but that didn't stop Gendry from strapping his hammer to his back and bullying his way into guard's rotations when he could.

He followed Bella around Storm's End as she tended to the people and made sure that everyone had everything that they needed. At first, he tried to remain stoic, but Bella was one of those people that knew how to break down all of his walls. She seemed more comfortable around him than any other guard, and Gendry was surprised the first time he really laughed as they helped the local blacksmith fix his forge. Gendry didn't know how he was supposed to react to laughing, and it almost felt like a betrayal of Arya to smile and even laugh a little. He was supposed to be miserable, yet he did feel like he had a purpose even if it was following his siblings around and helping when he could.

Gendry rode out with Edric to one of the Lesser Houses, and the two of them stood side by side with giant smiles on their faces as the Lord tried to excuse why his coffers weren't adding up properly. Edric copied the numbers and said that he was going to take them to Bella because if there was anyone who could find the mistake in the math, it would be her. Then Edric promised that they would be back once they figured out what was going on. The Lord, Gendry couldn't even remember which one, confessed that he'd been paying off mistresses to vanish, and Edric set up a payment plan so he could pay back every coin out of his own money and then gave some of his hands to the closest house.

Mya didn't leave Storm's End very often, but Gendry often found himself following her around so he could help her run the entire castle. As he watched her work, Gendry was glad that Mya seemed to have found her place in keeping order among the chaos that both Bella and Edric seemed to bring to every single interaction they had. Mya was the one who would keep Edric from losing his mind when he got annoyed with partitioners, and she even smoothed over a Lord who was unhappy with a ruling with nothing more than her calm demeanor. Whenever her and Davos' wife would team up, there would be hell to pay when it came to taking care of themselves.

Gendry spent more time with Davos, and through Davos, he learned more about his Uncle and the cousin he never got the chance to meet. They were given statues in the crypts of Storm's End, and Davos was instrumental in making sure that the statues were accurate. Gendry remembered the first time he saw a sketch of Shireen Baratheon, and he spent a long time staring at it. He didn't know what to think about this cousin that he never got the chance to meet or the Uncle that wanted to burn him alive. He didn't feel any connection to these people or this name, and the more he learned about it, the less he wanted anything to do with it.

When Gendry wasn't following his siblings around, he took the forge and took all of his feelings out on steel. He thought, after the circus of the trial, that no one would come to him for commissions again. Instead, after the first week, the requests started to come in. Gendry took the letters to his siblings and asked them what he was supposed to do with these.

"If you want to make them, you can make them," Edric said as he looked over the scroll. "But if you don't, then you don't have to. I'm not going to order you to or anything. Just make sure you charge them this time."

"Don't just charge them," Bella said, and she smirked. "You should overcharge them. That way, they can all see what happens when they insult not only House Stark but House Baratheon as well. I think charging anyone who asks some sort of fee would show that you're hardly giving away favors. You're a tradesman, Gendry, so charge people for your trade."

"I haven't been much of a tradesman for a long time," Gendry said, and he couldn't remember the last time he made something for the sole purpose of selling it. All of the things he made recently were gifts or weapons for war. He didn't usually charge anyone for his creations anymore.

"You're the best blacksmith in Westeros," Mya said. "You told us that your master was the best, and you've surpassed him. So make your prices match that." So that was exactly what Gendry did. He took to his forge, and he made every single person, save for his family and Davos and his wife, pay for any piece they asked of him. If someone came in and just asked for a repair, he would charge them, and he wouldn't make it cheap. The nobles of the Stormlands flocked to him as they asked for beautiful jewelry and deadly weapons, and Gendry just smiled at every single one that tried to get him to lower his price. One Lord from the Westerlands legitimately stood in front of Gendry, looked him dead in the eye, and offered the hand of his daughter in exchange for a sword and shield. Gendry doubled the price and then refused to lower it again. The Lord paid even as he mumbled about selfish bastards.

That was an adorable thing to hear from a Lord since Gendry took every single coin he earned and put it into fixing things for the smallfolk. He used the money to help the local blacksmith get some better tools; he gave the money to anyone who needed it for something that they couldn't afford, and then he went right back to overcharging the nobles. He wasn't endearing himself to anyone, Gendry knew that much, but he also knew what these people said about him and his siblings. Gendry didn't care what they thought of him, but the moment he heard rumblings about Bella or Mya being ruined or Edric being an asshole that had no right to turn away such beautiful brides, Gendry nearly lost his mind. He would not let these people talk badly about his family while praising his work in the same breath. He didn't feel bad anytime he overcharged them, and they paid anyway.

Roslin had sent a raven asking if he could forge a new piece of jewelry for her. He had sent one back with his prices that were fair, considering Roslin had always been nice to him. She looked down on him a bit, Edmure did as well, but they were kind, and he knew that Edmure in particular just wanted the best for one of the only pieces of his sister left in this world. He got a response that she agreed to the payment, and he got to work. She wanted a ring and bracelet set with fish scales and a sapphire in the middle of the ring. It was going to be silver, and it was small work that helped keep him focused for days at a time. Gendry blamed that focus on the fact that he didn't hear someone walk into the forge until they spoke to him.

"I'm glad to see you are working," a voice said, and Gendry looked up to see Daenerys standing before him. Her hair looked a little windblown, so he could only assume that she must have just ridden in on a dragon, which probably frightened everyone.

"I need something to do," Gendry replied, and he turned back to his work to ignore her. He didn't know why she was here, and he didn't want to see her.

"I've heard about the blacksmith of Storm's End," Daenerys said, and Gendry continued to work without looking at her. "The man who charges nobles full price and then some but doesn't keep the money for himself."

"Are you spying on me and my kin, cousin?" Gendry asked, and when he looked up, he realized that Daenerys looked a little stricken.

"No, of course not, I trust all of you implicitly," she replied. "I just heard someone angry about it, and I thought it sounded like something you would do."

"If you trust us, then why are you here? Why are you checking to make sure I haven't run away?" he asked.

"I'm here to see how you're doing," Daenerys replied, and she sounded a little sad. For a moment, Gendry wanted to believe that she was really here because she cared about him. Deep down, Gendry knew that Daenerys cared about him and all of his siblings, but right now, he was too angry to see that. Right now, he was trapped and far away from the woman he loved, and he couldn't let that go.

"Forgive me, Dany, but your guilt about this entire situation doesn't do me any good," Gendry snapped, and Daenerys flinched a little. She didn't look away from him even as Gendry got to his feet and stepped closer to her. They were alone, her guards were outside, and he almost wanted to do something just to prove that her confidence in him was unfounded. That wouldn't help anyone, and he didn't want fire and blood raining down on Storm's End. "So I don't want your guilt or your empathy. If you come and see me again, it better be to tell me that I'm free to go home. Otherwise, we have nothing to say to each other. Not anymore, cousin."

"I understand," Daenerys said, and she stood up a little taller. "I won't be staying long. I needed to speak with Lord Davos about concerns I have with the sea, and then I will be on my way." She turned to leave but hesitated at the door. "Gendry, please be safe." Daenerys didn't give him a chance to reply to that; she walked out the door and let it slam behind him. Gendry's hands were shaking, and he didn't get any more work done for the rest of the day.

+++

Arya was glad that House Dustin was the last of the Northern Houses that seemed to think her hand was available for marriage now that Gendry was trapped in the south. No one came looking to court her again, and no one sent another raven to Jon about it. Arya felt like this should have been something that made her happy. Instead, she was just annoyed that it happened at all. She always thought that coming home and the war ending would mean that she could be happy, and everything would be fine. Yet the world seemed to take pleasure in trying to take Gendry away from her. No matter what they did and no matter how hard they worked, it just wasn't as simple as being left alone.

Sometimes, when she was at her worst, Arya thought about how she should have taken Gendry and ran as soon as she knew the North was safe again. Jon was safe, Sansa was safe, Bran was safe, they were all safe, and then she needed to focus on herself. She remembered lying in Gendry's arms and feeling like she was still at war. Apparently, they were, but Arya didn't feel vindicated in that. There wasn't going to be any pleasure in telling anyone, "I told you so" because it wasn't going to get Gendry home anytime soon. She tried to send some raven to Storm's End, but she didn't get a response. Arya didn't think that people wouldn't let her talk to him at all. The fact that they were half a continent away was bad enough.

Sansa walked up to her three months after the sentencing, and she looked sad and worried. Arya was immediately on edge and wondered what could have happened to make her sister look so upset because Sansa rarely looked this upset about anything. "What happened?" Arya demanded, and she was ready to put a sword through someone if it meant keeping that terrible expression off of Sansa's face.

"I didn't want to upset you, but we can't wait any longer. Theon and I need to start planning for the wedding, but I didn't want to make things worse for you," Sansa said as she twisted her fingers together. Arya relaxed immediately as she realized that Sansa was just trying to look out for her.

"Sansa, I'm not going to turn into some crazy person at the mere sight of a wedding," Arya said as she took her sister's hands into hers.

"I know, but I didn't want to have the wedding without Gendry here. He's family and I wanted him here, but people are sending ravens for me wondering if the wedding is still happening, and Yara sent a message that the Iron Isles are getting antsy as well," Sansa replied, and she sighed heavily. "I thought we could wait until we came up with a way to bring him home, but it seems that waiting will just make things worse."

"Securing our alliance with Yara is a good thing," Arya said with a small smile. "If we ever need to break Gendry out of Storm's End, it would be good to have the Greyjoy's on our side to get out of Shipwrecker's Bay."

"I'd like to send a raven to the south," Sansa said softly. "I'm going to commission Gendry to make the rings for us. There isn't anyone else I'd like to design my wedding rings. Perhaps if the commission comes through me, it will go through, and we can figure out why he isn't writing to you." Arya nodded and let Sansa pull her into a tight hug. They held each other for a long time as Arya tried not to think about how the last wedding she went to ended.

+++

Despite her promise not to turn into a weeping maid about weddings, it turned out that Arya was not as good at keeping her promise as she thought. The planning of the wedding between the prince and the princess turned into the only thing that people around Winterfell could talk about, and no matter how hard she tried to escape it, people kept talking about it. She heard whispers about people wondering why Sansa would ask Gendry of all people to make the rings considered what happened, and it took all of Arya's self-control not to punch anyone. This whole thing was setting her teeth on edge, and she didn't know how to react to any of it. It was all too much, and Arya spent most of her time hiding in her room or playing with Jojana.

The little girl was acting more and more like a human being as her personality began to shine through. She was mischievous and seemed to want to get into everything that she could get her little hands on. Arya was quite enjoying being an aunt, and she spent as much time with the baby as she could. It kept her away from all of the wedding planning, which was enough for her.

"It's strange," Arya said as she bounced Jojana on her hip. Meera looked up from the book that she was reading at her.

"What is?" Meera asked.

"I never really liked kids that much, and I didn't really want them for years. I couldn't think of bringing a babe into a world with Cersei Lannister in it. She's gone, though, and I thought I would feel safer. I thought I'd be ready to go and find a babe that needed a home, but I'm not. I'm still not ready," Arya said. "But, I am ready to be the best possible aunt to this little girl, though."

"No knives until she turns ten," Meera said.

Sansa got a letter from Mya saying that Gendry would be making the rings, but he couldn't be the one to send the letters. Mya explained that people had shot down the ravens from Storm's End before, and she thought that seeing correspondence between Arya and Gendry would just make things worse somehow. Arya didn't agree with that at all, and she was so angry at the world yet again. All of the wedding stuff became too much, and she found herself sitting alone in the Godswood wondering how everything went so wrong. Of all the people to come out and talk to her, Theon was not the person he was expecting. He was dressed like he was going to travel, and there were two packs on his shoulder.

"What are you doing?" she asked because if Theon was running away from Sansa before their wedding, Arya might have to gut him.

"We both need a break, and Jon always talked about the quiet that came from standing on top of the Wall," Theon said, and he tossed one of the pack's over to her. "So, we're going to the Wall." Arya blinked and looked at the pack in her lap.

"What about the wedding?" she asked carefully.

"Sansa told me that she has it covered," Theon replied. "She also said that I look like I want to throw up because there are all of these extra people running around, and a break from all of them would probably be a good idea. I thought you might agree with that." There were a lot of people that Arya wanted to travel with, but Theon was never on that list. However, her main travel companion was far away, and Arya didn't have a lot of options. The idea of getting out of Winterfell and out into the quiet was too appealing. Arya pushed herself to her feet and nodded. Theon told her that he would finish tending to their horses while Arya got the last of her belongings. No one tried to stop them when they walked out of Winterfell and began to head to Eastwatch.

The wedding was a moon and a half away from happening, so they had plenty of time to make it to the old stronghold and back without any problems timewise. However, they both seemed to silently agree that the Wall was the destination, and that meant getting there quickly. A good portion of Eastwatch was destroyed when the dead broke through, but the last Arya heard there were a few people still there, and they would be welcome. It took the two of them ten days to reach the Wall and Eastwatch, which was even more massive than Arya ever imagined, and she couldn't quite believe what she was seeing. It was cold even though it was summer now, but the biting wind felt incredible.

They were indeed welcomed by a contingent of Free Folk and a few old Black Brothers that helped the two of them get to the top of the Wall. Arya stood on what felt like the top of the world with Theon Greyjoy of all people as they stared out into lands that neither of them had ever been to.

"I'm terrified that Sansa is going to wake up one day and realize she deserves so much better," Theon said, and Arya glanced at him. "Me and Gendry, we used to talk about it. We would talk about how we both thought that we didn't deserve Sansa or you all the time. He was the only one who got it, who understood what it was like to feel like the woman you loved was so far beyond your reach that you could only dream about touching her someday."

"Sansa loves you," Arya said carefully. "The same way that I love Gendry. I'm not saying it's going to be easy, you know that you saw what Gendry and I did and do to each other, but I want you to know that she loves you."

"I think some part of my shattered brain knows that, but I can't get my head around it," Theon said as he looked out across the world. "Sometimes, I want to get on one of Asha's ships and sail to the horizon without looking back. It seems easier even though I know it would make me a coward." Arya wanted to tell Theon that he wasn't a coward, that he was just experiencing the things that people in love experience, but as she looked out into those lands that she had felt a calling to as a child, she understood what he felt. Right now, she wanted to get on her horse and walk into the unexplored regions of the North without looking back because, at that moment, it seemed easier.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Sansa watched as Theon and Arya rode off to the Wall from one of the towers, and she continued to watch them until they were gone from her sight. Jon walked over and joined her just as they were fading from view.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" he asked for no less than the fifth time since Sansa suggested that the two of them needed some time away.

"I'm sure," Sansa replied. "I watched him flinch three times before noon because of people moving in and out of the castle for the wedding, and Arya looked like she's about five minutes away from flinging herself from the top of the broken tower. Theon trusts me to do the important planning, and he trusts me to get everything done that needs to be done." Sansa caused as she hugged herself a little. "I want him happy on the day we get married, and some quiet time means he'll have better memories of the day we're married." Sansa didn't like to think about the last time her and Theon stood in the godswood for a wedding that involved both of them. It was a memory that she didn't like to linger on, and that night was even worse. The pain was terrible, but that fact that she had to look into Theon's eyes the entire time was even worse.

Sansa had been married twice, and both times were against her will. This time, she was the one making the choice. She was a rare noblewoman who had fallen in love, and her King allowed her to marry the man that she had fallen in love with. They were fortunate that Theon was actually a much better match than the houses of the North seemed to realize. He was a prince, and Yara was a valuable ally to have. Someday, she might go to the Iron Isles and rule with him as King, but that was something she very much planned on talking to Yara about when she arrived. There was a good chance she was going to get here while Theon and Arya were gone, but Sansa didn't mind that. She had a few things that needed to be said to Yara before they said their vows in front of the godswood.

A royal wedding was always so much planning, and Sansa often envied Arya for her simple weddings both times she said her vows to Gendry. There was little planning for their first wedding though the romantic in Sansa loved the idea of it all. They were star-crossed, which made the fact that they were separated hurt even more. Sansa didn't know what she would have done if she'd been there for the ruling. Bella had written a few times and used the code that the two of them had developed over the course of many months of writing.

Gendry was, of course, not taking all of this well either. He was angry, as angry as the waves that crashed among the shores and the thunder that rolled in the skies of the Stormlands. He was as angry as a Baratheon ever was. Bella told her that Gendry was smithing again, which was where she got the idea that he could make the rings. What surprised Sansa was to learn that Gendry was not only charging people for the things he made again, but he was charging far more than any other smith in the region. It was making other nobles angry, which only seemed to amuse Bella. Still, when Sansa asked how much he was going to charge for the wedding rings, Bella told them that the debt would be paid at a later date. As it was, Sansa was not entirely sure that the things would make it across the border at all or if someone was going to throw them out, thinking they had some nefarious purposes.

Ten days after Theon and Arya left, Yara walked through the walls of Winterfell with her guard and a familiar crown on her head. She didn't look overly surprised not to see Theon anywhere nearby and accepted Sansa's brief hug for what it was.

"I have something for you," Yara said later that night after they had all eaten and drank, and Yara looked at Jojana like she had no idea what to do with a baby. "Well, I should say that I have several something's for you. I have some heirlooms that I would like you and my brother to have once the ceremony is over. A few things from our mother that I think Theon would like you to have and one or two things from our father that I think he should have."

"I'm honored that you would give me something of your mother's, Yara," Sansa said.

"I also have these which were given to me by a ship flying Baratheon colors," Yara said and handed her a small pouch. Sansa swallowed as she opened the pouch, and two beautifully made rings fell out. When she asked Gendry to make the rings, she didn't tell him any specific designs because she knew whatever he made would be beautiful, and she was right. The profile of wolves around the two bands looked like the waves of the sea, and they were shining silver that took her breath away. The metal glittered, and she could see tiny flakes of what looked like precious stones throughout the metal, but they were smooth to the touch. There was a small scroll inside with a letter from Edric.

Sansa and Theon, many blessings to your wedding. My family and I send our love and hope that we may be reunited soon. My brother sends his love to Arya and let her know that he misses her every single day. Your family in the south by marriage, Edric.

As Sansa stared at the scroll, Val came over and joined her to look at the rings.

"Gendry's work?" Val asked.

"I wouldn't have anyone else make my rings," Sansa whispered.

"Your sister knows we're going to figure out a way to get him back. I can think of fifty different ways to smuggle that boy out of Storm's End, but I know what will happen if I do," Yara said with a sigh. "Well, know that my ships are ready, and I have people watching all of the ships that come in and out of the Stormlands just in case. As soon as you say the vows in front of that tree of yours, we're going to be family, and I won't leave family behind. Not again and not anymore."

"I wanted to ask you something," Sansa said as she put the rings and the scroll back into the pouch for safekeeping. "Are you planning on having any children, or are Theon and I to be your heirs?"

"You made your position on my brother on the Iron Isles quite clear the last time you visited, princess," Yara said. "My brother is the prince, and he is my heir for now, but I will get married and have children of my own someday. You won't have to come and rule the Island, my lady. I don't think they would suit your tastes anyway."

"I think you underestimate the fortitude of Sansa," Val replied. "I imagine she could adapt anywhere." For some reason, that was the compliment that made Sansa's cheeks burn with embarrassment, and she could hear Val and Yara talking. She probably should have been paying better attention to the two of them since there was no telling what they could get up to, but Sansa couldn't stop thinking about the rings in her hands.

+++

Theon and Arya returned after nearly a moon away from Winterfell, and Sansa smiled when she realized that they both looked much lighter. The time away was good for them, and she could see that they had bonded in a way they never had before. Theon climbed off of his horse, walked right to Sansa, and kissed her in front of all of Winterfell, which was something he hadn't done in a very long time. As soon as they broke the kiss, Sansa let herself hold him and appreciated having him back in her arms. She knew he was so much better because Theon actually smiled brightly when he saw Yara and walked into her hug quite willingly. Yara broke their hug and pressed their foreheads together, and Sansa heard them whispering, "what is dead may never die" to one another.

"I have something I need to show you," Sansa said to Arya and guided her up to their rooms to give Yara and Theon a moment to catch up. Arya frowned but followed her up to the rooms. She talked about standing on top of the Wall and feeling like she was standing on top of the world. Arya spoke about the quiet that was on top of the Wall and how it was freeing in a way. Sansa showed Arya the rings and handed her the scrolls.

"His work is always incredible," Arya whispered as she looked over the rings with a soft smile. She opened the scroll and seemed to read it once and then again. "I can't reply, can I."

"The only reason Edric could get us such a direct message is because it was hidden with the rings," Sansa replied. "But he misses you, and Yara told me that she very much has a plan for getting Gendry out of there if need be."

"He wouldn't risk Edric, Mya, and Bella's lives," Arya said with a sad smile. "He's too noble for that." Sansa was inclined to agree, and even though Gendry and his siblings hadn't known each other very long, they would fiercely protective of each other. It just broke her heart to see her sister so sad, and no matter how much she raged at the heavens, there wasn't anything that Sansa could do to help Arya. All they could do was sit back and try to see if there was a way around all of this. At the moment, Arya didn't see one, and she didn't know what to think about that.

The rest of the planning for the wedding went well, and Theon seemed a lot better after some time away from the castle. Sansa was also glad to see that Arya and Theon had bonded, and they were closer in a way that she wasn't expecting. They spent a lot of time talking quietly to each other, and while Sansa always worried about whether or not Theon was all right, she knew that Arya would always look after him. Edmure, Roslin, and Robin all make the trip to Winterfell for the wedding, and Edmure was gleeful as he told the story of the black eye that Robin had to wear on his way back to the Vale. Sansa was glad to see that Royce was a good influence on her cousin, and he seemed to be maturing and becoming a better man now that his mother was out of his life.

Roslin settled down with Sansa to work on her dress. This was the third time Sansa was getting married, and she didn't want to remember any of those nights again. So there wasn't any gold to make her think of her marriage to Tyrion even if he was kind to her. There wasn't any white because that made her think of Ramsay, and he had no business at this happy moment in her life. So despite it not being Stark colors or Greyjoy colors, her wedding dress was blue. When someone asked her about it, Sansa said that it was blue like the ocean, which most people seemed to accept. With Roslin's help, they stitched silver waves into the sky blue fabric and lined the long sleeves with grey fur. The dress was both the ocean and the wolf, which meant it was both hers and Theon's.

The first guests arrived, and Sansa was trying not to be nervous about all of this. She had no reason to be, she knew that, but she still was. She tried to make a joke to someone about being an old hat at weddings, but it just sounded bitter and sad. Sansa wasn't happy at either of her previous weddings, and she wouldn't be unhappy now. Not when she was marrying a man that she chose and, more importantly, a man that she loved. They weren't supposed to see each other, but everyone seemed to silently agree that keeping them apart was probably not the best idea. Sansa sat next to Theon on their bed, clutching his hand, as they both tried to push the memory of the last wedding they attended together from their minds.

"I don't want him here," Sansa whispered.

"Me neither," Theon replied and held onto her a little tighter. She waited for him to ask if she was sure this is what she wanted, but the words didn't come. It loosened something in her chest to know that Theon wasn't second-guessing that she wanted to be with him anymore. At least, he wasn't in this moment, and that was progress that Sansa would take. Theon squeezed her hand and brought it up to his lips. He laid gentle kisses along her knuckles, and Sansa thought she was going to swoon like a maid.

It seemed their time to try and gather themselves was over as maids burst into the room. No one thought it was scandalous that the bride and groom were in the same room, but they did hustle Theon out so he could get ready in a different room. Arya walked in as they were doing her hair and smiled at her. Sansa thought that Arya would look sad, but she looked happy and let the maids fuss with her hair and dress like it wasn't a big deal at all. Jon joined them last, and Arya went ahead as Jon escorted her down to the godswood.

"I never thought I'd be so lucky to see both of my little sisters get married," Jon said with a smile, and Sansa blushed. "You look beautiful."

"I'm glad you're here," she said. "I'm glad you're the one to help me finally marry for love." Sansa paused as they were walking to the godswood, and Jon looked at her. "Thank you."

"It's no problem to walk you to your new husband," Jon replied, but he didn't understand what she was thanking him for.

"No, you gave me a choice. Arya was already married, so there wasn't much you could do about that, but I was a widow. You could have ordered me to get married to anyone for an alliance, but you let me choose. You don't understand how much that means to me; no one ever gave me a choice about who I get to be with, and you did like it wasn't a big deal at all. You could have been the one to insist that you marry for love, and I was the one that had to forge alliances, but you didn't, Jon, you let me choose and thank you for it." Jon reached forward and brushed away the tears that Sansa didn't even know were falling and smiled at her.

"Little sister, I would do anything to keep you safe and happy. We all went through hell, but you had all of your agency taken away in a way I can't ever understand. It's my honor to return it to you," Jon replied. Sansa threw her arms around her and hugged Jon as tightly as the day they were reunited what felt like a lifetime ago. They eventually pulled away from each other, and Jon continued to lead her through their home to the godswood. Sansa tried not to think about the night with Ramsay because this was different. This was different. There wasn't any snow on the ground, and the night was cool, not cold. There were more people, and she saw Arya and Bran and Meera and Val and everyone else smiling at her because they knew this was a happy occasion. Theon was standing at the godswood, and Bran was going to marry them. It wasn't proper, but Sansa felt something in her heart loosen when Theon grinned like an idiot at her. It was probably the happiest she had ever seen him, and it made him look so young.

"Who comes before the Old Gods this night?" Bran asked.

"Sansa, 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 replied.

"Theon, of House Greyjoy, heir to the Iron Isles. Who gives her?" Theon said.

"Jon, of House Stark, King of the North and her brother," Jon said, and Sansa felt her heart sing a little at the thought of Jon saying he is her brother because he is. "However, Sansa is here to give herself."

"Princess Sansa, do you take this man?" Bran asked./

"I take this man," Sansa said, so quiet she wasn't sure anyone else heard, but then the godswood erupted into a roar of cheers, and Sansa laughed because she was so happy. Theon leaned forward and pressed his forehead to hers as they exchanged rings, and they stayed that way, close and clinging to each other until they finally closed the distance and kissed. Sansa was crying again, she knew she was, and Theon's tears were mixing with hers. They clung to each other like the world would end if they weren't holding onto each other as their loved ones cheered around them.

+++

There was a feast, and Sansa smiled as she watched everyone dance and have a good time. She loved watching her family be so happy, and even Arya seemed to be having a good time despite the circumstances. It was early into the feast, but Sansa could feel herself growing tired, and she could tell that Theon felt the same way. They both found this day extremely stressful because of bad memories, and it weighed heavily on them. Sansa touched Jon's arm, and he looked at her. His cheeks were a little flush with wine, and his smile was easy going.

"We're going to turn in for the night," Sansa said.

"Of course," Jon replied, and he leaned forward to kiss her forehead. Several members of their family insisted on hugs before they left but always made sure to ask before giving them, which Sansa appreciated. Theon took her hand and entwined their fingers as they walked up the stairs to the room that they already shared. This was a wedding night, but no one would be looking for bloody sheets when it came to them. There would be no bedding ceremony, and no one was going to expect her stomach to swell with children in less than a year. Someday, Sansa wanted to find a child to help raise, but it was something that she and Theon hadn't ever talked about because neither of them was ready for that.

"These rings are beautiful," Theon said. "Gendry?" Sansa nodded, and Theon looked a little sad. "Arya's not doing well, Sansa, but I think she'll hang on. I don't think she's going to try and run. Not anytime soon." That did make her feel a little better since losing Arya was one of the things she had nightmares about. They both pulled off their fine clothes as they got ready for bed, and when Sansa was comfortable in her nightgown and Theon was in his soft sleeping clothes did they finally climb into bed together. They usually slept with Theon at her back and his arm around her waist, but tonight was special, and Sansa wanted to try something different.

She settled into bed and let Theon wrap his arms around her. Sansa rested her head on his chest and listened to the sound of his heartbeat, which was faster than it usually was. She was about to ask if this was okay, they hadn't held each other like this before, but Theon slowly relaxed in her arms. They just held each other for a long time, and Sansa could hear people moving around in the hallway behind her locked door. Theon rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head, and Sansa just felt so loved. This was her wedding, their wedding night, and they were safe where no one could hurt them. They chose each other, and they were safe, and everything in the world was right.

Sansa shifted so she could look into Theon's kind eyes, and she could see how much healing he had done since he rescued her from Ramsay. She saw a strong man that might have been broken once but was stronger now, and she admired him. There weren't many men who would rather stay at the husband of a Hand to the King than the heir to an entire nation, yet here he is, in her arms, staying with her in Winterfell. Sansa couldn't find the words to say how much she loved him and decided to let her action speak for her. She was careful to make sure that Theon could tell that she was going to kiss him, and Sansa was delighted when he met her halfway.

While Sansa didn't want another man to touch her sexually ever again, and Theon wasn't overly fond of anyone touching him in any way, they both still enjoyed kissing. However, they hadn't spent a ton of time just kissing each other. Usually, they would kiss a little and move on, but Sansa wanted to try something else tonight. She leaned into the kiss a bit more, and Theon made a pleased sound in the back of his throat. Theon shifted their lips and gasped a little when Theon slid his tongue into her mouth. It was a different form of kissing and one that she wasn't that familiar with, but it made her feel more connected to him than she ever had before.

They kissed like that for a long time until Sansa's lips were nearly numb. At some point, she had pulled Theon nearly on top of her, and she thought she would panic to feel another man's weight on her, but she just felt safe. His fingers were in her hair, and it all felt incredible.

"Sansa," Theon whispered against her lips. "I love you."

"I love you too," Sansa replied. Theon kissed her forehead, her eyelids, her nose, along her jawline, and even placed a few kisses along her neck that made Sansa sigh. It was enough, it was more than she ever thought she would get, and they fell asleep with their arms wrapped around each other, utterly content with their place in the world.

+++

It wasn't easy to get the rings out of Storm's End and into the hands of Yara, but Gendry had to make sure that everything was going to be fine. Sansa and Theon's wedding rings needed to get there safely, and he wanted Edric's letter to get there without anyone the wiser. The wedding was today, and Gendry wished he could have been there. Theon was a friend of his, and they would spend hours lamenting how unworthy they felt to be loved by the She-Wolves of the North. Sansa was someone who deserved all the happiness in the world, and he just hoped that her wedding was exactly what she wanted. After two weddings that ended in misery, Sansa deserved happiness. And he wished he was in Winterfell, dancing with his beautiful wife, drunk off of good wine, and celebrating that their family officially gained another member. Instead, he was in his forge, it was late into the evening, and he had nothing.

Gendry sighed and set aside the sword he was working on for some house in the Riverlands that he couldn't remember. He wanted a blade worthy of battle, and Gendry was going to make sure he paid for a blade of that quality. He used a rag to wipe the soot from his face and hands, and when he looked presentable enough, he walked back to the main castle. It must have been later than he thought because he hardly saw any guards or servants around. Edric told him that he, Bella, and Mya would be in his solar until late, and he should join them when he got the chance. He always enjoyed the time he spent with his siblings and climbed the long staircase to Edric's solar. There was a single guard at the door, a man that Gendry recognized, and they politely nodded to each other as Gendry walked in the room.

The first thing that hit him was the smell. It was blood in the air, and the room was quiet. Gendry froze as he looked around the room. Bella was across the room, and she was holding a hand to her stomach, blood leaking through her fingers and staining her dress, and when their eyes met, her lips moved as she tried to tell him something. Gendry took a step to run to her when a hand clasped around his shoulder, and there was a sharp pain in his back. It was the guard, the one who was waiting at the door, and he was laughing softly. Gendry felt the blade rip out of his back as the guard threw him to the ground. He could see Edric and Mya nearby as well, far too pale and bleeding out on the floor, the same that he was.

The world was going dark far too quickly, and the guard, the assassin, said nothing as he stood over all of House Baratheon and watched them bleed out. Gendry watched as his siblings went still, and as the darkness took him, he only had one thought; Arya, I'm sorry.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Daenerys and Quentyn were softly talking about taking an early supper and maybe spending the evening together when Missandei suddenly burst into her solar. There was a scroll in her hand, and the first thing that Daenerys noticed was that Missandei's eyes were ringed red, and she was a little pale. It wasn't like her first to show that kind of emotion in front of everyone, and Daenerys was on her feet in seconds. She was about to ask what was going on when Missandei handed her the scroll.

"Please, read it," Missandei whispered. Daenerys frowned as she took the scroll and looked at the seal. It was a Baratheon seal, but there was also the seal of Ser Davos, which was odd. He hadn't ever sent a raven before. Daenerys frowned as she took the scroll and slowly unwound it. It was a brief letter, and every single word made her blood run cold.

Your Grace, there has been an attack on your cousins. They did not survive their wounds. Come to Storm's End immediately. Ser Davos.

"Quentyn, Missandei, I need you both to make sure nothing happens, and no one knows why I'm leaving," Daenerys said. Quentyn frowned, but he also went extremely pale when he read the scroll that Daenerys handed him. She didn't stop to listen to hear what either of them had to say; she was too busy running. Daenerys didn't bother to change into a dress that would be better to travel in, she didn't take a crown, and the only reason she grabbed a cloak at all is because one was hanging on a hook as she ran out the Dragon Pit. Drogon looked up as soon as she ran outside and seemed to know that something was wrong. She could hear people yelling at her, but Daenerys didn't care about any of them. She climbed onto Drogon and took off into the sky.

She hadn't seen any of her cousins in quite some time. Daenerys remembered making the trip to Storm's End after she heard about how the bastard blacksmith of Storm's End was charging the noble's of Westeros what Daenerys thought were extremely fair princes considering the work that Gendry put into his pieces. She didn't know how to help him, she didn't know what to say to him, and when he told her that her words were meaningless and all but threw her out of his forge, Daenerys didn't know what to say. Her two guards were waiting outside, but Daenerys was surprised to see Mya waiting for her as well.

Mya's black hair had gotten a little longer and now fell down to her chin. She was wearing a gold and black long tunic and black leggings with knee-high boots. Her arms were crossed, and she didn't look particularly impressed to see Daenerys here. In truth, she hadn't given Edric or any of the much warning that she was coming to visit.

"Did he throw you out?" Mya asked.

"More or less," Daenerys replied as she walked over to Mya. "I want to fix this for him, for both of them, but I do not know how to do that without half of the Lesser Houses of Westeros rebelling against us."

"He understands why you can't do anything on a pure logic level the same way he understands that we can't smuggle him into the North to the Free Cities because it would trigger an uprising here in the Stormlands," Mya said. "But he's not thinking logically, Dany, and you know that. You can't come here and beg for his forgiveness because he won't give it to you. He just isn't capable of doing that right now."

"I just wanted to make sure he was safe," Daenerys said. "He's family, you're all family, and I wanted to look out for him."

"I am looking out for him just fine," Mya said, and her voice was harder than Daenerys had ever heard her. "Dany, Your Grace, we always appreciate seeing you here in Storm's End, but I speak on behalf of my siblings that we would not appreciate any more visits like this. It took us weeks to get him to function again, and seeing you here could set him back. You say you want to look out for him? Do it from a distance." Mya turned and walked away without another word. Daenerys watched her go and left not soon after. She knew when she wasn't wanted, and right now, Storm's End was not a place that wanted to see her. Daenerys knew that it was going to be strictly business between her and her cousins for the time being. At the time, she prayed that there would be some form of reconciliation in the future.

As she rode Drogon as fast as she could toward Storm's End, Daenerys hated herself for walking away from family so willingly. The raven from Davos had to be wrong. There was no way her cousins, her kin, were gone from this world. There was no way it was just her and Jon left, and Jon was someone whom she couldn't see as well. The high tower of Storm's End appeared, and Daenerys guided Drogon to the ground. The people looked surprised to see her, which meant that there was a good chance that they didn't know what had happened. Davos was waiting for her at the front gate, and if she didn't know him so well, Daenerys never would have guessed that something was wrong. He was stoic, but his eyes were ringed red, and he looked incredibly pale. She didn't want to cause panic in Storm's End, not right now, and she forced herself to smile warmly when she saw Davos.

"Ser Davos, as always, it's wonderful to see you," she said.

"And you, Your Grace. Please, come with me," Davos said, and he leads her to the castle without another word. The castle was almost completely empty save for a few guards that looked uncomfortable. Davos brought her to one of the lower rooms in the castle and opened a door. The smell was the first time that struck her. Daenerys spent a lot of time around dead bodies, and she knew what a body that had spent days rotting in the sun smelled like. That was the smell that hit her when that door opened, which didn't make any sense. It had been a little over a day since the attack, and nobody rotted that quickly.

There were four bodies laid out on the slabs in front of her, and Daenerys tried to keep herself under control as she took a step forward. The clothes were all ones that she recognized, and there was even soot on Gendry's hands. However, their clothing was the only thing that she could recognize. Their faces had been mutilated terribly, and all of the skin appeared to be rotting off. She heard about the poison that did this to bodies when she heard about The Mountain and what killed him. All four of her cousins were terribly poisoned and mutilated to the point that they are hardly human anymore. The hair, the clothing, the body types were all consistent with her family.

"Are you sure it's--" Daenerys whispered.

"Our Maester was the only one who was able to get close to their bodies without vomiting, and even then it’s a close call," Davos said, and his voice was flat and dead. "He checked them for the birthmarks that Bella and Edric both have and confirmed that it is them. The scars on Gendry's body from the war and the marks on Mya's feet from her many years leading men up the Vale were all present according to the maester. Those are the clothes they were wearing the last time I saw them; it's them." The smell was terrible, but she took a step forward and reached out to touch Gendry's hair or something when Davos stopped her. "I wouldn't, Your Grace, they are covered in the poison, and we don't want it to get on you."

"I wanted to--" Daenerys cut herself off and didn't know what exactly she wanted to do. Her eyes were burning from unshed tears, and the fact that the smell was terrible. It was the respectful thing to do, to sit with her family, but she couldn't. Davos seemed to understand what she was going through and led her out of the room. Daenerys wasn't really paying attention and realized that Davos had taken her to the Round Hall. There was what appeared to be a cold meal laid out that no one had touched. "What happened?" she whispered.

"We're not exactly sure," Davos replied as he poured a glass of wine and handed it to her. "The last anyone saw any of them, Gendry was leaving his forge to have a late-night meal and chat with Edric, Mya, and Bella. The maid found them the next morning like that, and the guard at the door was also dead." Davos curled in on himself a little. "I've seen a lot, Dany, a lot of terrible things, but I've never seen people killed like that. I've never seen so much malice put into cutting out the pieces of other human beings." Daenerys reached forward and took Davos' hand. He held on tight and was nearly crushing her fingers, but she refused to say anything about it. "I was given a second chance to protect this House and those young people, and I failed them just like I failed Shireen. I didn't protect them."

"Davos, this isn't your fault. They all loved you, and they spoke so highly of you all the time. Edric told me that he couldn't imagine trying to run Storm's End without you here. You and your wife cared for my cousins when they didn't have any other family to look after them," Daenerys said as she closed her eyes. "They died loving you."

"But they didn't hate you," Davos said, following her line of thinking, but Daenerys closed her eyes because she couldn't believe that. "I really did try to look out for them the same way you did, but I was never very good at it. Not long ago, a young man came to me telling me that he was essentially spying on them even though I never told anyone to do that. He told me that Edric was trying to smuggle something to the Ironborn from Storm's End and that I needed to stop it because the Ironborn were going North. I yelled at the man and told him that he isn't ever to spy on my cousins again. Then I made sure that the rings because I knew it was Sansa and Theon's weddings from Gendry, made their way North. I wanted that for all of them." Daenerys' visions blurred as the tears began to fall from her eyes. "Arya is never going to forgive me for this."

"I imagine the Princess Arya isn't going to forgive the entire world for taking Gendry away from her, let alone you specifically," Davos said. The two of them sat alone in the round hall for a long time and silently cried. Eventually, he guided her to a room where she could sleep, and Daenerys spent a long time staring at the ceiling. Gendry, Edric, Mya, and Bella were all extremely dear to her heart no matter what anyone said. There were those that said they were threats to her rule, but Daenerys knew that they never wanted any of this. It took some convincing to have them run the Stormlands. They were natural leaders, and the Stormlands were going to be worse off without their guiding hands. They would have to track down Edric's will eventually, but Davos was the only person that she could see Edric appointing as his heir to run Storm's End if the worst should happen.

Daenerys closed her eyes and thought about Arya, about Sansa and Jon and Bran and Meera, and all of the Stark's up the North. Jon would fight and maintain peace for the greater good, but Daenerys knew that she had lost her family up in the North as well. They wouldn't welcome her back, not again, and now she was as alone as she had ever been. Missandei and Quentyn were there, and they were kin now, but there was something about the blood relationships she had with her cousins and with Jon that she treasured. Their kind hearts were proof that there was more to Targaryen blood than their madness.

She didn't sleep for a long time, and the sun was rising by the time her eyes closed. Daenerys knew that she only slept for a few hours, but she knew that she wanted to sit with the bodies of her cousins some more. It was the right thing to do even if the poison made the smell unbearable. Her dress was a little wrinkled, but Daenerys didn't care. The castle was still mostly asleep, and her guards walked her to the room where the bodies were being kept. Daenerys was surprised to see the door open, and four coffins were sitting in the room instead of four bodies. The Maester of Storm's End, an older man in his fifties, looked up at her.

"Your Grace, what are you doing here?" he asked.

"I wanted to sit with my cousins, are they already entombed?" Daenerys asked, and the maester winced.

"I'm afraid so, Your Grace," he said. "The poison was essentially ruining their bodies, and the longer we left them out of coffins, the more dangerous their bodies would become." The maester looked at the coffins sadly. "There is nothing I could do for them, so I don't believe that any funeral that shows their bodies was the right thing to do."

"No, they don't deserve to be remembered like that," Daenerys whispered as she placed a hand on the coffin and closed her eyes. If she listened hard enough, she could hear the last time she was at Storm's End, and everyone was happy. She had gone for a visit not long after putting Edric in power, and the four of them spent the night drinking wine and laughing together. Bella told jokes that would make any man blush, Mya made sure they drank water, so no one was hungover, and Edric was proud as he talked about the first noble he had threatened if they didn't take care of the smallfolk. She knew they were going to be great leaders, and she remembered wanting them to live long lives to bring honor back to the Baratheon name.

None of this was fair.

"Your Grace?" the maester asked, and Daenerys opened her eyes.

"Thank you for looking out for them and trying to save them," she said, and the maester bowed. Daenerys walked through Storm's End and found Davos waiting for her at the top of the stairs. He looked like he was about to go down as well and was trying to stop himself. "The maester has already moved their bodies into coffins." Davos pressed his lips together, and Daenerys could see that he was very much trying to keep himself together right now.

"I didn't ask him to do that yet," he said.

"The way the maester explained it to me is that the poison and everything else could make them dangerous if they weren't sealed away," Daenerys replied. The two of them stood in silence for a moment and then made their way up to Edric's solar together. There were several bloodstains on the carpet that looked like someone had tried to clean them, but there was a chance that they wouldn't ever come up. It seemed that they were both going to ignore that part of the situation right now. "We need to find Edric's will to make it official, but I can only assume that he would have you run Storm's End should the worst happen to him. I can help make that transition as we make the announcement to the people."

"I already called for an official notice, but we need to send out a raven to Arya first. The last thing we need is for the news to reach Winterfell through a merchant before she hears from us," Davos replied. The two of them sat down and tried to come up with the words that could explain what happened. In the end, they decided to each send a letter to explain what was going on. Daenerys took it upon herself to explain that all of the Baratheon's were dead, but she paused when she was about to explain what had happened.

"It was violent," Daenerys whispered, and Davos looked up at her. "I've seen assassinations, as have you, but they aren't like that. People are poisoned or have their throat slit in their beds. This was violent and slow and painful in a way that I've never seen before."

"You don't think it was political?" Davos asked.

"I think whoever did this was angry, and we need to keep that in mind as we look for the person or people responsible. I hesitate to call it an assassination because of the level of violence. Assassinations are usually clean, and this wasn't," she said.

"They were murdered, and the first thing I intend to do as the Lord of Storm's End is bring justice for House Baratheon," Davos said. He sounded angry and dangerous, which was not something she associated with Davos. He was an older man that seemed to luck his way around his ranking members of Westeros because he was a good man that provided excellent guidance. She knew that he would be a good leader, and Edric wouldn't have appointed him if he didn't, but Daenerys knew he was going to tear the world apart until there was justice, and she saw no need to stop him.

They finished sending out the ravens and went out to make the announcement to the people of Storm's End. The maester helped them send out ravens to all of the Lesser Houses in the Stormlands, and Daenerys stood before the people and told them how they had lost their Baratheon leaders yet again. This time there was an immediate reaction from the people as they wailed and cried. Her cousins were so well-loved by the people, and it broke her heart to see them so sad. She told them that Ser Davos would guide them well and that anyone Edric put his faith in was a good man. They all seemed to know Davos and trusted.

Davos took a step forward and promised justice for the last members of House Baratheon, and the people cheered. Daenerys tried not to think about the four coffins beneath the castle and how she had to send out ravens to the Great Houses, so they knew what was going on as well. She tried not to think about how she lost more family and that all of her cousins were gone.

+++

Gendry wasn't expecting to open his eyes again. When the blade slid into his back, and he lay there on the floor of Edric's solar, he thought this was it. Yet he wasn't dead, and there was a considerable amount of pain from said stab wound to his back. It was like fighting against a deep ocean as he struggled to pull himself back to the surface, and he was exhausted by the time he managed to open his eyes. The first thing Gendry noticed was that the floor was moving. At first, he thought that he was just dizzy from blood loss, but he could hear waves crashing. He was on a boat. He tried to move and realized there were heavy chains around his wrists and ankles.

He nearly passed out again the first time he tried to sit up, and the second time Gendry had to keep himself from throwing up. He was in a dark room under a ship, and they were sailing. There was one small window letting in the sunlight, and he had no idea how much time had passed. Gendry's eyes adjusted, and he realized that he wasn't alone; Mya, Bella, and Edric were all in the room with him. Despite the fact that he nearly bit through his tongue Gendry managed to get to all of them. They were all wounded, locked in chains, but they were alive.

Gendry collapsed back down, the little bit of moving he did taking all of his energy and tried to take stock about where he was. He was in a boat with his siblings, they were all wounded but alive, and Gendry had no idea where they were going, who had taken them, or why.

Gendry closed his eyes and let the darkness take him and those unanswered questions down with him.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Arya thought that the moment her entire world ended should have felt different. This was her nightmare, the thing that kept her awake at night, the thing that made her learn to fight because she never wanted this moment to come true. She thought that the moment her entire world ended, she would have fallen to the ground in despair or screamed at the top of her lungs. She thought she would have run into the woods and never come out again. That was how she thought that she would react to all of this, but the moment the words left Sansa's mouth, she didn't believe them because it couldn't be true. Gendry couldn't be dead because he was part of her, he was half her heart, and if half of her heart died, she would have known it. So disbelief was the first thing she felt when Sansa told her that Gendry was dead.

"It's not possible," Arya said. She was in Sansa's solar, and they were alone, which was good because no one else needed to hear these lies. This was some trick from some terrible house in the south that wanted to ruin their lives. It couldn't be true because half of her heart couldn't have died without her knowing it.

"Arya, I got ravens from both Davos and Daenerys, and they aren't fake letters. This is their hands and their seals. They wrote these letters, and they are explaining what happened," Sansa explained. There were tears running from her eyes, and she was pale, but none of this made any sense. Arya knew that Gendry couldn't be dead, so why was Sansa so upset? She shouldn't be crying over a trick.

"Sansa--"

"It was all four of them," Sansa said, and her voice cracked. "Someone broke into the castle, killed the guard at their door, and killed all four of them. None of them survived Arya. It's not just Gendry that's dead; Bella, Mya, and Edric were all killed as well."

"I would know, I would know if he was dead," Arya whispered, but Sansa threw her arms around her and sobbed. That was what Arya knew she should be doing because Sansa was not only telling her that her husband was dead, but all of his siblings were gone too. She shoved Sansa away from her and snatched both of the letters. They weren't addressed to her, but they were to her. Daenerys' letter explained what had happened or what they knew at that moment; all four of them were found dead, their bodies were mutilated with poison and cut the ribbons, they didn't know who did, and the maester had already entombed them because of the danger of the poisons. She apologized and told her that despite this tragedy, she still couldn't come south or risk the treaty between their nations.

Davos' letter was different; it was an apology. He was telling her how sorry he was that he didn't protect them, and the words he used were deliberate. He spoke about things that only Davos would know so she would know it was him telling her this. Davos said that he had tried to save them, bloodied his hands trying to do, but that nothing helped. They were gone, and there was anything anyone could do about it. Arya was reading the letters, but her hands started to shake because, despite her reading them, she knew this couldn't be true. It just couldn't. The love of her life couldn't be gone. They hadn't fought through the wars and to get home only for her to lose him. They didn't travel all over Westeros to bring Gendry's siblings home for her to lose them. This couldn't be happening.

Arya looked up from the letters and saw that Sansa was on her knees on the ground, and she was sobbing. The doors to the solar opened, and Theon rushed in as he tried to comfort her as Arya dropped the letters. Jon seemed to appear out of nowhere, and he picked the letters up as well. He made a sound like a dying animal when he read them, and Theon was rocking Sansa in his arms. There were tears in his eyes, but Arya couldn't find the tears. She felt numb inside as she tried to figure out a reason why Daenerys and Davos would say such untrue things, but no reason came. Jon drew her into his arms, and he held her as she shook and shook and eventually collapsed.

"He can't be gone, Jon," Arya whispered as her brother held her tightly in his arms. He was whispering how sorry he was in her hair, but Arya could barely hear the words. "He can't just be gone like that." Jon kept repeating over and over again that he was sorry, but never once did he try to tell her that it was going to be okay because there wasn't a single thing about this that was okay. Arya didn't know how she was ever going to be okay again.

Arya felt the world around her collapsed as the words repeated themselves over and over in her head; Gendry is dead, Gendry is dead, Gendry is dead, and he's never coming back.

+++

Arya spent the next several days in a daze. She didn't remember doing much, but she felt a little rested and not too hungry, so she must have eaten and slept at some point. The news went through the entire castle, and she couldn't stand the looks of pity from the servants and everyone in Winterfell. Their pity didn't do anything for her; all it did was remind her what exactly she had lost, which was everything. She wanted to be angry at Daenerys for separating them in the first place, but she had no way of knowing something like this would happen. She had no way of knowing someone would manage to get into the castle and kill the heirs to one of the Great Houses of Westeros. Storm's End was a fortress and one that someone managed to sneak into.

Two days after they got the initial news Sansa got another letter from Davos, and this one explained things a little more. Davos was puzzled by how violent their deaths were since political assassinations were much more impersonal than this. Whoever did this to the Baratheon's wanted them to die slowly and painfully, which was not something that spoke to anyone seeking power. It spoke of rage, revenge, and Arya was inclined to agree with him even if it didn't do her any good. Even if Gendry died horribly or if he passed away in his sleep from natural causes, he was still dead. She still wouldn't ever see him or hold him or be with him again. Sansa wrote back, saying that she would come to see him as soon as she was able to, and Arya wished she could go but couldn't. In fact, she couldn't do anything about this, and that made things even worse.

Nymeria seemed to know that something was wrong and immediately went from shadowing Meera and Jojana to attaching herself to Arya's side and refusing to leave. Her wolf curled up next to her when she slept and let Arya cling to her when she cried. Arya remembered trying to leave Gendry before the battle against the dead and how she thought leaving him would protect her heart, but this was all the proof she needed that her heart was vulnerable. This had broken something inside of her, she could feel it, and the thought of losing anyone else made her feel sick. She slept, but she didn't sleep well and spent far too much time guarding the doors to her family's rooms to keep them safe. Val caught her on one of her patrols one night but didn't say a word about it. They let her mourn the way she needed to.

It was too much one day, the looks of pity, and Arya escaped to the forge. They hadn't hired another blacksmith yet, everyone clinging to the hope that Gendry would be home soon, but now they needed to hire someone. She was curled up next to the dead fires with Nymeria close by when the door opened. Arya had a dagger in her hand in seconds but blinked when she saw Corbin walking into the forge. He and Gendry were working on a project to get Rhaegal flying again and had spent a lot of time together. He looked at her, and he wasn't pitying, which was something Arya needed at that moment.

"What can I do for you?" Arya asked after a long moment of silence. Corbin began to pick through the forge as if he was looking for something. It wasn't the Valyrian Steel; Arya had that protected in a locked case under her bed.

"He was a good man," Corbin said as he walked around the forge. "A mad bastard too for thinking he could get a dragon to fly. When you lot went south, he told me he thought he had figured it out. He said he thought he had a design that could get that dragon flying again with the help of my leather. So I thought, what the fuck, what better legacy than being the mad bastard blacksmith that got a dragon flying again?" Normally, Arya would be angry that someone was calling Gendry a bastard, but with Corbin, it sounded like a term of endearment, so she let it slide.

"You're trying to find his designs?" Arya asked.

"Aye, I want to finish what we started," Corbin replied, and he made a noise as he found some papers. Arya pushed herself to her feet and looked at the complicated designs on the papers. They didn't make any sense of her, but Corbin was nodding and grinning. "Yeah, he figured it out. We can make that dragon fly again."

"Then I'll find you the best blacksmith in the North, and we'll finish what he started," Arya said, and Corbin looked at her. "It's what he would have wanted." Corbin nodded, and they began to look over the plans together. Arya still wanted to know why Gendry was dead, but she needed more information to do that. This was something that she could focus on right now, and that was what she needed. Gendry wanted Rhaegal to fly again; it was a mad dream he had about doing the impossible, and he might be dead, but Arya would move Westeros itself if it meant Gendry's dreams becoming a reality.

+++

The next time Gendry woke up, he felt a little more human and aware of things. He was also not lying on the ground anymore but on someone's lap, and they were holding his hand. The first thing Gendry thought was that Arya was here, but then he remembered the stabbing and the boat and realized it must have been one of his sisters. He groaned, and he could hear Bella telling him to take it easy. It took some time, but he managed to hit up and ignore the sharp pain in his back. It hurt, but it also felt like someone had treated and bandaged the wound, so wherever he was, they didn't want him dead.

"You're awake," Edric said from across the room. He was sitting next to Mya, and she had an arm around his shoulders. He was pale but looked alright while Mya looked a little green around the edges. This might be the first time she had ever been on a boat. "We were worried about you."

"How do you feel?" Bella asked. She was sitting next to him and trying to look him over like she could do anything about his wounds in chains.

"Like I got stabbed," Gendry said, and all of his siblings huffed laughter and then groaned when it hurt their wounds. "We're alive and on a ship, were we kidnapped? Davos and Daenerys must have sent someone on the way. There's no way we could have gotten far."

"No one has been by to see us," Mya said. There is some food by the door, enough to last us a couple of weeks if we don't eat much, and some water. There's a bucket for us to use and what looks like a salve for our wounds. I can hear people talking, but they aren't coming down to see us."

"They also don't seem worried," Edric said. "I listened to the tones of their voices, and they don't seem to think the Ironborn or a dragon is going to come down on their heads. They seem calm, which is strange. They kidnapped four members of House Baratheon, how could they not be worried?"

"They must know something we don't," Bella said. It took some effort, but Gendry and Bella leaned on each other and made their way over to the supplies. Mya was right about the rations and the water and even the salve for their wounds, but this didn't make any sense. Why would someone lock them in chains and then leave them at the bottom of a ship? Gendry couldn't focus on that since they needed to get out of these chains. If Daenerys or Davos or Yara attacked the ship and it started to sink, they would be the first ones to drown. The chains keeping them to the wall were the first thing they needed to deal with.

For the first day, Gendry and his siblings tended to each other's wounds and ate some food. They were all weak from the attacks so far, but it looks like all of their injuries were healing well, and there didn't seem to be any sign of infection. Whoever stitched them up did a good enough job, which just made all of this even stranger. Why lock them in chains but make sure that their wounds were well cared for? They set up a rotation, so one of them was awake at all times and rested.

Gendry did his best to get them out of the chains as the days turned into a week. He was able to look out the small window and could see that they were heading east though he didn't know where. No one came to see them, and they continued to huddle together, heal, and try not to run out of supplies. Gendry tried not to gag the first time he managed to dump their bucket out the small window, and he thought maybe that would be enough to get someone's attention, but still, no one came to see them. They counted the days as a week turned into two, which turned into three, which turned into a month, and still, no one came below deck to see them, and no one attacked the ship. Their wounds had mostly healed, and they tried to keep up their strength the best they could, but the room was small, and the chains weighed them down.

No one came to see them.

Gendry was no on guard duty when the port came into view, but Edric was, and he immediately woke all of them up. They huddled around the small window and looked out into the vast port of the city none of them had ever seen. It wasn't Lyse, which was all Gendry and Edric could tell looking out, but they were in one of the far eastern cities. Perhaps it was Braavos, but that didn't make any sense either. The ship pulled into port, and footsteps made their way toward their door for the first time. Gendry and Edric put themselves between the door and their sisters because they didn't know what these men would do to women. The door opened, and they saw another person for the first time. The man smirked as he looked all of them over.

"I see you figured out how to ration your food, well done for a bunch of nobles," the man said.

"If you think we're just nobles, then you don't know anything about us," Gendry replied.

"I am Lord Edric Baratheon, Lord Paramount of the Stormlands, and cousin to Queen Daenerys, and I demand to speak with your captain," Edric said, but the man laughed, which wasn't a good sign for them.

"You keep that mouth of yours shut, little lord, or we'll take your tongue," the man said. Edric bared his teeth, but Bella squeezed his hand, and he didn't say anything. Their chains were all connected, and the man disconnected them from the wall and began to pull them through the ship. Gendry tried to get a good look at his surroundings, but he didn't know where he was or what was going on. They were surrounded on all sides by armed men who took them out into the bright sunlight that burned Gendry's eyes a little. They were given no time to adjust as they were led through the streets of this city, and no one seemed to care that four well-dressed people were being led around in chains. No one even looked at them.

They were led to a massive pyramid-like castle, and a man with a sharp smile was waiting for them. Their clothes were unfamiliar, and the man grinned when the soldiers kicked the back of their legs and sent all four of the Baratheon's to their knees. Gendry knew this position all too well, and he remembered Cersei Lannister calling him beautiful while digging his nails into his skin. He refused to show fear and looked this man directly in the eye. He walked up and looked at all four of them.

"They certainly have the look from what I've heard," he said, and he looked at the soldiers. "Well done, you'll be rewarded."

"If you let us go now, we won't tell Queen Daenerys about any of this. She might spare your life," Edric said, and the man laughed.

"The Queen is in mourning right now. We left bodies back in Storm's End that look like all four of you. As far as Westeros is concerned, House Baratheon is dead," the man said. "Allow me to introduce myself; my name is Daario Naharis, and I would like to welcome you to Meereen."

"What exactly are we doing here?" Gendry asked, but Daario pulled out a knife. He walked over to Bella, and she paled immediately. Gendry, Edric, and even Mya began to fight against their restraints, but Daario tilted Bella's chin up, so she was forced to look at him.

"Sweet girl, if you and your siblings don't fight, no one has to get too terribly hurt," he said.

"Don't hurt them," Bella said.

"Tell them to stop fighting," Daario replied like it was that easy. Bella glanced at them, and Gendry grit his teeth and forced himself to stop fighting. Daario proceeded to cut a lock of Bella's hair and take some blood from her arm and then did the same to all of them. The wounds were terrible, but they bled enough and would likely leave scars on all of their forearms. He looked at their blood and hair like they were treasures and Gendry felt his stomach turn. "Lovely, as I said, all of you are presumed dead, which is exactly what I want, at least for now. Queen Daenerys will learn what I did for her eventually, but first, some things need to fall into place."

"Daenerys is our cousin, and she loves us," Mya said, and Daario looked furious for the first time.

"Lies, you are the children of Robert Baratheon, and she has sworn vengeance on House Baratheon for what they did to her family. She would never call any spawn of Robert's her kin," he snapped.

"She legitimized us," Edric said. "She is the one who made me the Lord of Storm's End." Daario narrowed his eyes and clearly didn't believe them. He stood up a little taller and looked down on all of them.

"I love Queen Daenerys, and this is my greatest gift to her. I am removing all evidence of Robert Baratheon from this world, so she doesn't have to think about that horrid man anymore," Daario said.

"Why kidnap and fake our deaths if you're just going to kill us?" Gendry snapped.

"Oh, no, killing you four would be too kind for the children of the men that took everything from my lovely Queen," Daario said, and he smiled wickedly. "I intend to sell you four into slavery because I can think of no punishment more appropriate for the enemies of the Breaker of Chains than slavery."

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Sansa left to go to Storm's End with Theon several days after they got the second letter from Davos. While she knew that Arya needed her to be around for comfort, there was something about how he was talking that made her nervous. So Sansa went to Jon and asked him if she could go south in the name of the Stark's since Arya wasn't able to. Jon seemed surprised that she volunteered to do that since Sansa all but declared that she wasn't ever going south again. She didn't want to go south, the idea of being anywhere near King's Landing made her skin crawl, but Sansa also knew that Arya needed her to go. They had spent the last two weeks on a ship, and the waves were getting rough as they got to Shipwrecker's Bay.

"I can't believe they're dead," Theon said as they stood on the ship and looked out into the sea. Theon and Gendry were close, Sansa knew this, and she knew that Mya and Bella had also looked out for him during their time at Winterfell. She knew that Theon enjoyed watching Edric follow Jon around the way that Bran or Rickon used to do to Robb when they were kids. It hurt to think that they were all gone, and they weren't going to see them again. It hurt to know that her family had some dear members.

"From what Ser Davos told me it was brutal," Sansa replied, and she swallowed the bile whenever she thought about how Davos described them dying. It was slow and painful and not at all what those kind souls deserved. "I know that as noble's, we have our enemies, but someone doing that to them just turns my stomach."

"Jon told us we're not allowed to go anywhere without guards," Theon said as he reached over and took her hand. He threaded their fingers together and held on tight. Their wedding rings seemed to shine in the sunlight, and they just made her think of Gendry again. He clearly put so much work into the rings, and now she was carrying this constant reminder of him. It was both what she wanted and the opposite of what she wanted at the exact same time. "He doesn't like the idea that someone managed to get into Storm's End like that, and he wants us to be safe while we're visiting."

"I'm sure Davos has the entire thing locked down," Sansa said. "He seemed very determined to find their killers. I remember seeing him talk about such anger when it came to Melisandre and how she burned Shireen Baratheon. He loved all of them like his own, and Davos has spent a lot of time thinking he had failed the house he swore to serve. He thought he was doing right again, and now this happened." Theon didn't say anything, and they were told to go below deck not long after because the waves were going to get rough when they got closer to the castle. The ship began to rock, and it was easier to lie down in their bed and hold onto each other until they made port.

Sansa was worried about Arya. She knew how close she came to losing her sister to revenge once, and it was the combined effort of family and Gendry that brought her back. Jon and Gendry told her the story of how Cersei and Jaime Lannister died and how Arya chose to hold Jaime's hand, so he didn't die alone over watching the life drain from Cersei's eyes. They brought her back from vengeance once, but this was different. This was a catalyst much in the same way, losing their father had been a catalyst for Arya. When she found out that they were going to go south, she insisted that Sansa and Theon look into the murders because Arya wanted to know who was responsible.

She didn't think her sister would break the treaty and risk putting all of Westeros at war for the sake of revenge, but if Sansa was honest with herself, she wasn't entirely sure about that. There was a chance that the need for blood would become too much, and they would lose Arya all over again. The culprit was in the south, and the whole reason this mess started was because Arya and Gendry decided to enact justice on people that they didn't have the right to enact justice on. If Arya killed the people that killed Gendry, all of Westeros could go to war all over again. Sansa was reasonably sure that Arya knew that on some level, but she was worried about her angry and heartbroken little sister would fail to see the bigger picture all in the name of revenge and justice. Sansa wanted justice, and she wanted revenge for Gendry, Mya, Edric, and Bella, but she also knew that it wasn't her place unless the people that killed them were of the North. Maybe then she could justify putting a dagger in their hearts to Daenerys.

A little over a week into their journey to Storm's End, they passed a merchant ship with Taragayn colors, so Sansa could only assume that Daenerys knew that they were on their way to Storm's End. Sansa and Theon had the right to travel where they wanted, but Sansa wasn't sure how a conversation with Daenerys would go right now. Sansa tried not to let the rough waves near Shipbreaker Bay turn her stomach, but it was getting difficult. She needed to ask Davos for something to help settle her stomach when they eventually left because he sailed in and out of this bay during the rebellion, and he had to know some way of settling stomachs.

Guards were waiting for them on the dock, and Sansa was surprised at how surprised they seemed to be to see her.

"Princess Sansa, Prince Theon, welcome to Storm's End," the guard, who appeared to be a captain, said. "We were not expecting you. Can we help you with something?"

"We're here to see the Lord of Storm's End," Sansa replied. She thought all of the guards would know that Davos had a close relationship with the Stark's and wouldn't be surprised that they would take a trip considering the circumstances. The captain blinked and then guided them, and the half dozen Stark guards, from the dock and up toward the castle. Theon took her hand as they both admired the castle. It was massive and appeared to be one giant tower reaching high into the sky. She could see why it was built that way, considering the legendary storms that would come through this area. It was beautiful, and she wished she was exploring it with the Baratheon's and not just Davos.

The guards took them to the Round Hall and announced their presence. Sansa was smiling, eager to see Davos again for the first time in a long time, but that smile fell when the Lord of Storm's End was an older man that she didn't recognize.

"May I present Lord Connington, the Lord of Storm's End," the captain said. Theon squeezed her hand as they both stared at this man, unable to come to terms with what they were supposed to say to this stranger that was sitting in what they thought was Davos' seat. He walked over to them, his head held high and looking far too proud of himself, and he bowed to them deeply. Sansa and Theon did the same, but it felt like she was going through the motions.

"Prince, Princess, it's lovely to finally meet the both of you. I was so disappointed that you didn't come south for the wedding of my Queen," Connington said.

"Lord Connington, it's a pleasure to meet you, but I'm afraid I'm rather confused by your title. The ravens we got from Queen Daenerys said that Ser Davos Seaworth had been named the Lord of Storm's End." Sansa was trying to hide the fact that she was panicking a little. She only agreed to go south because she would be going to the castle with someone she knew, but Sansa didn't know Connington. That name sounded familiar, but she couldn't place where exactly she had heard it from, and that made her even more nervous.

"It's a rather recent appointment," Connington said, and he looked far too smug. Out of the corner of her eye, Sansa saw Theon narrow his eyes. "While I know Lord Baratheon and his sisters admired and looked to Ser Davos for counsel, it seems that they didn't trust him to run the Stormlands should the worst happen to them."

"I was under the impression our good brother and his siblings were all dead; how exactly do you know that Lord Baratheon didn't want Ser Davos to rule the Stormlands?" Theon asked. His voice was steady, but between the two of them, they were holding each other's hands so tightly Sansa wasn't sure whose hands were going to break first.

"We found Lord Baratheon's will," Connington said, and he looked between the two of them. "I see you both don't believe me."

"We'd like to speak to Ser Davos and see this for ourselves, my lord," Sansa said. Connington nodded and crossed his arms.

"Well, I certainly wouldn't want to make enemies of the north," Connington replied. "After all, the North taking matters into their own hands is why Ser Gendry was here in the first place." He waved a hand as if that would be enough to dismiss this conversation. "Ser Davos and his wife left Storm's End as soon as the will was found, and he was informed that he wouldn't be ruling the Stormlands. He didn't take my appointment well, and I'm afraid I don't know where either of them are at the moment. If you come with me to my solar, I can show you the will."

"We had a long journey, so we would rather wait here, and you can bring the will to us," Theon replied in a tone that said he wouldn't be arguing. Connington smiled at them and walked out of the room to go get the will. Sansa all but collapsed into the chair, and it was apparently dramatic enough that their guards rushed forward as if to help her. Sansa waved them off but didn't release Theon's hand. He knelt down in front of her so he could look her in the eye. He didn't say anything, but he seemed to understand what she was going through. Neither of them wanted to be here, and she just hoped that Daenerys knowing they were here and how last-minute their visit was would keep anyone from hurting them. They were both back on their feet when Connington walked in with a smile and several pieces of paper.

"Your Graces, I had one of the maids make up one of my best guest rooms for you so you can rest tonight. Tomorrow, I would be honored to give you a tour of the Stormlands since I know both of you haven't been here before," Connington said.

"I'm afraid we are needed in the North," Sansa said as she began to look over the papers. She had to release Theon's hand, but she sat down, and the two of them began to look them over. "We would like to pay our respects to the Baratheon's. They were family to us, and it's the least we can do."

"Of course," Connington replied, but he looked a little annoyed about it. Sansa ignored him as she began to look over the will. It looked like Edric's handwriting, and she has been the one to teach him his letters again so she would know. The words looked like his words, and the seal and signature all looked right. However, the content was lacking. It didn't explain why he decided to give control of the Stormlands over to Connington instead of Ser Davos, only that he insisted that he wishes be honored. She glanced at Theon, and he looked back at her, no doubt, thinking the same thing she was; this was pretty undeniable, and aside from the content not making any sense, it looked real enough. Sansa handed the papers over and put on her best smile.

"We would like to take our meal in our room, Lord Connington. I'm afraid that sailing into Shipbreaker Bay took a lot out of us," she said.

"Yes, of course, I understand," Connington said, but he looked furious. No doubt, he wanted to parade two royal members around to show off that they were here, and he was hosting them, but Sansa wasn't going to be used as a political ploy. Connington had one of the maids show them to their room, and they worked out a guard rotation so there would always be two bodies in front of the door at all times. When the food came, one of their guards tested it and made sure that nothing was poisoned. It was all cold when they were all convinced that there was nothing in the food, but Sansa and Theon ate very little.

"It's not like Davos to just up and leave like that," Theon said as he picked at the food in front of him.

"No, he wouldn't do that, not with the murders unsolved," Sansa replied. "I can only assume he fled for a reason and a good one at that."

"I'll send a raven to Yara and Asha and have them keep an eye on the seas. He has to know he'd be safe on the Iron Isles or the North if worse came to worst. Not to mention Daenerys adores that man," Theon said, and he sighed. "I don't think I'm going to sleep tonight."

"Me neither." The two of them climbed into the large and comfortable bed and wrapped their arms around each other, but they were both tense. Neither of them could relax in a castle run by a stranger, and Sansa hated every second of this. By the morning, she was very grumpy and ready to go home, but they needed to go to the crypts. Connington seemed uncomfortable for the first time and insisted on giving them some time alone with the tombs. Sansa stood in front of the four coffins and placed her hand on Gendry's. She silently said a prayer to the Old Gods for him and all of his siblings, but something about all of this made her uneasy. Sansa turned to Theon and nodded; it was time to go back to the North because something wasn't right in Storm's End.

+++

Arya was still trying out blacksmiths to find the right one when a frantic rider came up to the gates of Winterfell. She was the first one he saw, and he ran up to her like she was in the right state of mind to answer any questions right now.

"Princess Arya, Queen Daenerys, and King Quentyn are at the border, and they are requesting to fly over with a dragon! Am I supposed to let them through?" he asked. Arya blinked and stood completely still. She knew it was a matter of time before Daenerys made her way up to the North, but Arya didn't know what to think about it. Now the moment was right in front of her, and she couldn't come up with a good reason to tell them to go away.

"Yes, they can come through, I'll go tell the King," she said. The rider took off to get a message back to the border while Arya went to go find Jon and Val. They both didn't seem surprised to see Daenerys and Quentyn coming to the North, but they both looked a little unhappy about it. They were all waiting in the courtyard when Drogon appeared in the sky and set Daenerys and Quentyn down on the ground. Everyone bowed and said their courtesies, but Daenerys was looking at Arya like she was expecting some sort of reaction, but Arya didn't have one anymore. She was still too numb and felt like she had lost her other half.

"Arya, I'd like the chance to speak with you," Daenerys said.

"King Jon, Queen Val, I've never been North of King's Landing before," Quentyn said. "These two have some things that need to be said. Could you give me a tour of your lovely home?" Val looked deeply unimpressed, but Jon nodded, and the three of them walked away from Daenerys and Arya. It was then that Arya noticed that there were no guards; Daenerys and Quentyn had come alone, which was strange. Daenerys must have seen Arya looking around and smiled briefly.

"My guards are at the border. I wanted to come with just Quentyn and me as a sign of good faith," she said.

"Also, you have a dragon, so that might help," Arya replied. Daenerys winced and looked like she wanted to say something when Arya realized where she wanted to be to have this conversation. "I have two horses ready, will you come with me?"

"Drogon will likely follow, will that be an issue?" Daenerys asked.

"No, it shouldn't be," Arya replied. The two of them climbed on the horses and began the trek toward the caves that Arya didn't visit as often as she liked sometimes. Drogon took the sky but was immediately thrilled when Rhaegal walked out of the cave, and the two began to wrestle like wolf pups. Daenerys smiled, and Arya could see tears in her eyes as she stepped forward and greeted Rhaegal. Arya waited until Daenerys returned and pulled out the copies of the paper that she carried everywhere. She silently handed them to Daenerys, who began to look them over.

"This contraption, it's going to let Rhaegal fly again?" she asked.

"We think so," Arya replied, and she paused. "Gendry designed it. He figured it out before we came to your wedding, and I think he intended to finish it when we got back as a late wedding present."

"Arya, I promise you, I didn't know that this was going to happen. I would never have allowed this to happen if there had been even an inkling that someone was going to get violent," Daenerys whispered. "You have to know that I loved them all so much, and they were my blood and my family. To see them like that--" Daenerys cut herself off and closed her eyes. Arya watched her carefully and tried to see if she was lying, but her grief seemed all too real.

"Was it as bad as you described in your letters?" Arya asked because she had to know if it was as brutal as the letters seemed to imply.

"Yes," Daenerys said, her voice so quiet that Arya wasn't sure she had spoken at all. "I wish I could assure you that he didn't suffer, but I won't lie to you." They stood together in total silence for a long time as they watched the two dragons play together. Daenerys handed Arya back the plans, and Arya tucked them back into her pocket where they would be safe. "I will find the persons responsible for this, Arya. I promise you that I will uncover the ones that did this, and when I do, I will burn them alive. The ones who take my blood from me will be met with fire. I swear it."

"I intend to be there when you do," Arya said, and they both looked at each other. Arya didn't know what she was supposed to say now because Daenerys wasn't asking for forgiveness, and Arya wasn't ready to give it. Arya remembered Gendry talking about how he was worried that she would get lost in revenge, but Gendry was dead. There wasn't anyone to stop her from getting lost in revenge, and if she went down that path with Daenerys? As far as Arya was concerned, a dragon was the most effective way of killing those that wronged them.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Gendry remembered fighting against the guards and trying to get away because he couldn't let this happen. He was thinking of Harrenhal and how terrible it was to be a slave there basically and how he couldn't go back to that way of life again. The guards twisted his arms painfully behind his back until Gendry had to stop fighting or risk a broken arm. He knew he couldn't save himself and his siblings with a broken arm, so he went limp instead and forced the guards to carry his entire weight just to be petty. There was only one large cell, and Gendry was glad that he was close to his siblings because he didn't want to think about what would happen if they were separated now. It seemed that Mya and Bella both seemed to be thinking about exactly what would happen to them.

"Women slaves are taken advantage of," Bella whispered. "They rape the women, they use our bodies as they see fit, that's what he is condemning us to in the name of Dany?"

"I won't let this happen," Edric snapped, and he banged his hand against the bars of their cell. "I demand to talk to Daario immediately. I'm a fucking Lord, and you can't ignore me like this!" Edric kept hitting the bars until Gendry saw a flash of red, and he stopped his little brother from breaking his own hand. Mya was holding Bella, who was so curled into herself she looked like she was trying to cease to exist.

"Edric, you need to stop before you hurt yourself," Gendry said softly, but Edric was trembling either from fear or from anger.

"I swore to look after my family, and I'm failing," he whispered, and Gendry pulled his little brother into a tight hug. Gendry knew that he wasn't the only one who saw what slavery was or had an experience with it. A half a year into his time on Lyse, someone grabbed Edric, and for a week, he was held as a slave until Andrew Estermont broke him out. He wasn't ever sold, but he knew the horrors that were waiting for him from the slaves that he was with. If Edric had nightmares about anything, it was about that. Gendry held him until Edric stopped shaking, and Gendry sat down next to Mya as they held each other.

While Edric slept the next morning, Gendry walked up to one of the guards. He hoped that he could secure a meeting with Daario, and maybe they could explain that this all had to be a misunderstanding. That there was no possible way that Daenerys would ever condone this or want him to do this, and setting them free was the best thing they could do.

"Ser, I'd like a meeting with Lord Daario," Gendry asked. He shifted his body by hunching his shoulders and making himself look a little smaller. He averted his eyes and remembered how he had to keep his head down like Harrenhal to stay alive. The only way he was going to get a meeting was to look like he wasn't a threat. The guard looked at Gendry and rolled his eyes.

"Fine, I'll go ask him, but you keep that brother of yours under control," the guard said, and Gendry all but bowed to the man.

"Yes, ser." Gendry paced around the cell and was glad that everyone seemed to be sleeping still, but Bella was the next one who woke up. She managed to wiggle her way out of Mya's arms and walked over to Gendry. Bella looked up when the guard walked in, and her body language changed as well. Bella walked like the Lady of a Great House that she was now, but the woman standing next to him was the Bella he met at the Peach. The one who didn't know how to ask for things that she wanted in Winterfell what felt like a lifetime ago. Mya blinked awake as well, but Gendry managed to shake his head, so she didn't move.

"All right, Lord Daario says that he'll meet with you," the guard said.

"Please ser," Bella said. "Please, I want to come with my brother to meet the Lord. Please, I don't want to be separated from him." Gendry was about to argue, but the guard shrugged as he opened the door to the cell and slapped irons on Bella's wrists. Gendry glanced over his shoulder at Mya, whose eyes were wide with fear.

"Stay here, and don't let Edric lose his mind. We'll be back; I promise," he said.

"I'm holding you to that promise, Gendry Stark," Mya replied. The irons went on Gendry's wrists as well, and they were dragged out of the cell and to the room where Daario was waiting for them. He looked a little amused to see that Gendry wasn't alone.

"My guards told me one of you wanted to talk to me but not two," he said.

"My Lord, please, listen to what we have to say," Gendry said, and the smile on Daario's face began to fade slowly. "Queen Daenerys has adopted us as her kin. She calls us her cousins. I've known her since the Long Night against the Others in the North, and even her dragons allow us to approach them. You have to believe that she wouldn't want you to do this to us because she loves us. If she thinks we're dead right now, I can assure you that she's mourning us."

"You're wrong," Daario snapped. "The Baratheon's took everything from her, and she would never forgive the kin of that man. She told me what he did to her mother and her family, and the fact that you would suggest that she would ever forgive you shows the lies you're trying to tell me to save yourselves."

"Gendry is the one who made the crown that sits on her head," Bella said. "She named him a Stark in honor of his marriage so he wouldn't be a bastard anymore. She named me a Baratheon so my brother and sister could bring honor to our family name again. We attended her wedding, the King."

"Silence!" Daario yelled as he stomped over and loomed over both of them. "Your lies will gain you nothing, and I refuse to listen to anything more you have to say. You will be sold into slavery because killing you would be too kind. I took your blood and your hair so I can present them to her to show that her enemies are truly gone. You have nowhere you could go. No ship will take you from these ports and my men are patrolling the west. Even if you managed to get away from the places you’ll be sent you have no way of getting back to Westeros. My army has seen to that." Gendry was about to say something more when Bella burst into tears and began to sob at the feet of this man. He jerked back a step as if he didn't expect her to do that.

"Please, allow me to serve you, my Lord, please allow me to stay here, and I will do whatever you command. Please spare me," she said between her cries, which was odd because Bella wasn't asking for Daario to spare all of them but just her. Daario blinked and turned to the guards. "Take him down to the cells but keep her here for a moment."

"Wait, no--" but Gendry didn't get another word in as one of the guards punched him in the stomach. He didn't like the idea of leaving Bella alone with that man, but he couldn't do anything. They brought him back to the cell where Edric was practically growling, and Mya suddenly paled.

"Where is she?" Mya asked.

"He asked to keep her behind," Gendry said as he grit his teeth. Edric looked like he was about to start yelling when Bella was led down the stairs and put into the cell with them. The guards left them alone, and the withdrawn woman stood taller, and Gendry noticed that her eyes weren't red, and there wasn't any evidence that she had actually cried. He was about to ask her what she did when Bella shook her head ever so slightly. Gendry glanced at Mya and Edric, but none of them said anything. They settled into their cell and waited.

+++

Over the course of the next three days, Daario called Bella and only Bella out of the cell to talk to him, and she went every single time. Gendry didn't believe in many of the gods, but he prayed to every single one that Bella wasn't using her body to give Daario what he wanted. The thought of his sister having to do that turned his stomach, but there wasn't anything he could do about it. When he asked to try and go with her, the guards said that Daario asked for her and her alone. Bella still played the meek woman with the shaking lower lip who looked a moment away from crying, but Gendry knew that his sister was very good at showing people, and specifically men, what they wanted to see.

On the third day, more guards than usual came down, and irons were clapped on all of their wrists. They were taken through the massive structure to a large room where everyone but Bella's irons were strapped to the floor. It forced them all to kneel while Bella remained standing. Daario emerged from another room off to the side, and Gendry could see from his vantage point that it was a bedroom. He also watched as Bella's entire posture changed, and he remembered seeing her this way when she was still working at the Peach. He wanted to ask her what she was doing and that she didn't need to do anything rash, but she was the one standing next to him, and she subtly kicked him. Gendry didn't want to remain quiet, but he knew that he needed to trust his sister. He glanced at Mya, who was pale and looked like she wanted to be sick, and Edric, who looked like he was about a minute away from breaking his own hands to get free.

"My Lord, lovely to see you again," Bella said with a deep bow. Daario grinned and turned to the rest of the guards in the room.

"Are they all shackled?" he asked.

"Yes, m'lord," one of the guards replied. Daario gestured for the key, and he walked over to Bella to undo her shackles. He glanced down at the rest of them and smiled.

"Guards, they are secure, but I want to keep them close. They are going in separate directions today, after all," Daario explained as he clipped the keys to his belt. He looked Bella over and smiled again. "Well, most of them are going in separate directions. Let's give us all some alone time." The guards looked a little insecure, but they walked out of the room and closed the door. Edric bared his teeth as Daario began to lead Bella to the bedroom by the hand. She let herself be led but also held out a hand that seemed to indicate that they needed to wait. Daario closed the door, and the room went silent.

"We need to do something," Edric said between his teeth.

"Something is going on," Mya replied as she watched the door. That didn't seem to placate Edric at all as he began to test the chains. They were strong, and there was no way they were getting away, Gendry could already tell, so he kept an eye on that door and hoped that Bella knew what she was doing. It was quiet, and he didn't know what he would do if he heard anything that sounded like sex. He hated the idea of his sister needing to do that again, and he hated himself even more if he stood by and let it happen. The minutes passed, and the door suddenly opened as Bella rushed out in men's clothing and the keys in her hand.

"Bella, what the fuck?" Edric said.

"He wanted to sleep with me," Bella said as she began to unlock all of their chains quickly. "And men who want sex are stupid. So when he wasn't looking, I got my hands on his belt, and I strangled that asshole." Gendry shifted, and he could see the half-dressed body of Daario on the bed, and he was very much, not moving.

"Did he touch you?" Gendry asked softly as Bella unlocked his chains. She hesitated and looked into his eyes.

"He never got a piece of clothing off of me, but he did kiss me, but I can handle it," she replied and went back to work. Gendry took that dismissal for what it was, and they all began to work quickly. They all needed different clothes, and Daario had enough that they were able to take. It didn't all fit, but it was enough. Bella tied her long hair up into a knot and hid it beneath a cloth while Mya pulled her own back. There were a few swords in the room and a single dagger that Gendry gave to Mya. Edric found four packs, and they stole as many valuables, food, and water that they could carry.

"We need to get home, but Daario said we can't go west," Edric said.

"Let's focus on getting out of here first. We head east and then head back west once we lose the guards." Gendry replied. Once they had all they could carry, Gendry carefully opened up the door, and he and Edric slit the throats of the two guards. They began to creep through the massive castle killing guards in dark corners as they went and locking maids in rooms where they couldn't get help. Gendry had blood on his hands by the time they managed to reach the stables. They stole three horses with Edric, Mya, and Gendry all getting on one and Bella riding behind Gendry on the other. The guards were moving around in a way that seemed to suggest that someone had found Daario or the bodies and the time to play it safe was over. They kicked their horses and took off through the city.

The streets were narrowing and winding, and Gendry was sure he was going to fall over before they made it anywhere safe. Now the guards knew something was going on as arrows began to fall around them. Bella was hanging onto Gendry so tight he thought she was going to break one of his ribs, but he ignored it. He needed to focus on getting them out of the city. A cry of pain broke his focus, and he glanced over his shoulder. Edric had taken an arrow to the calf, and he broke the arrow off and kept riding. There wasn't time to worry about any wounds. The gates to the city came into view, and Gendry pushed the horse to ride faster. It wasn't good for the animal, but if the gates closed, they would be captured and executed. They passed through the gates of the city and into the desert beyond Meereen just as someone yelled to close the gates. There was still no time; Gendry turned his horse east, and they continued to ride hard with Daario's men not far behind them.

+++

Daenerys and Quentyn stayed another two days before they climbed on the back of Drogon and flew back to the south. They got word that Sansa and Theon were on their way home after only a day Storm's End, which was strange. Arya thought they would want to spend more time with Davos, and it set her on edge. She remained on edge until Sansa and Theon both climbed out and were safely back in Winterfell ten days after Daenerys and Quentyn had left. Sansa embraced Arya tightly, and Arya didn't understand why Sansa was holding her so tightly.

"We need to talk in private," Sansa said, and they all made their way up to Jon's solar. Meera and Bran joined them as Jojana was down for a nap, and Sansa actually locked the door before she finally sat down. She was carrying stress, and she was carrying it very badly.

"Sansa, what's wrong?" Jon asked.

"Davos wasn't at Storm's End when we got there," Sansa said, and everyone in the room froze. That didn't make any sense; the notices all said that Davos was the Lord of Storm's End, and even Daenerys seemed to think that was the case when she visited, but now Arya was hearing that wasn't the case. It made something cold settle in her stomach.

"What do you mean?" Val asked carefully.

"I mean we got there and Ser Davos and his wife were gone and there was a new Lord running Storm's End. A man named Connington," Sansa said, and now Arya knew that something was wrong. She couldn't find the words to express the fear and anger that was settling into her gut, but Sansa continued. "There was a will signed and written by Edric that named Connington as the Lord of Storm's End if something should happen to him, Mya, and Bella."

"That isn't possible," Arya snapped, and everyone in the room turned to look at her. "Edric would never name Connington as his heir. He was one of the ones that accused Gendry and me of overstepping and got us separated. There is no possible way that Edric would give up Storm's End to anyone but Ser Davos and certainly not someone who tried to get Gendry hanged."

"It looked real enough that no one seemed to dispute it," Theon said.

"Daenerys was just here ten days ago," Jon said carefully. "She wanted to talk to Arya personally. I feel like she would have told us if something like this happened. This change must have happened when she was flying North to see us."

"That isn't a coincidence," Bran said, and Arya was inclined to agree with her brother. She was shaking as the worst possible scenarios all flew through her head. It was bad enough that Gendry and everyone else was dead now; there was a chance that Davos was missing as well? Arya wanted to get on a horse and ride to Storm's End as fast as she could and hold a dagger to the throat of this Connington until he admitted what exactly was going on.

"So the will could be fake," Meera said, and everyone nodded. "Do we know what happened to Ser Davos?"

"Davos has lived through a lot of battles, and he knows when to run," Jon said. "He could have just left."

"Or he didn't leave, and this Connington did away with him," Arya snapped. "The fake will means he had something to do with Gendry and the others. We need to find a way to go talk to him. I want to talk to him and find out exactly what he knows. I want to look him in the eye and ask him why my husband is dead."

"Arya," Val said softly, and there was something about the tone of her voice that made Arya look up at her. "If you go south, you will damn us all to war. You can't push your way into Storm's End and start making demands. You will break the treaty, and we can't risk that." Arya slammed her fist on the table hard enough that Theon jumped, and a wine glass fell over.

"He took something from me, and I intend to take something back," Arya said.

"Arya, please, come with me," Sansa said as she pushed herself to her feet. Arya didn't know what was going on, but she followed Sansa out of the solar and into Sansa's room. The door was shut, and Arya was about to ask what was going on when Sansa threw her arms around her and hugged her again. "Come back to me, little sister."

"I'm right here; what are you talking about?" Arya asked because she was so confused as she stood in the middle of Sansa's room.

"I'm losing you," Sansa said, and she pulled away to frame Arya's face with her hands the way their mother used to when they were children. "I'm going to lose you to revenge. I almost lost you to the Frey's or the Cersei, but I can't lose you. Please, come back to me, don't get lost in vengeance the way you did when father died."

"Sansa, that man, he could have killed Gendry, he deserves it," Arya snapped, but Sansa pressed their foreheads together, and Arya realized that Sansa was crying. "Sansa, I can't--"

"If you go south, you'll die too," Sansa said, which made Arya pause. "If you're caught, they will execute you, and we'll all go to war. We have lost so much already; please don't let me lose you too. Please, I can't lose someone else. I can't." Arya didn't know what she was supposed to say to all of that, but her mind cleared a bit as Sansa's words began to sink in. They would put her to death if she did something to Connington. They would go to war, and countless people would die. There wouldn't be any other option.

Gendry and his siblings deserved justice, but she remembered her conversation with Sandor on the way to King's Landing when she wanted revenge on Cersei. She remembered how he talked about the reasons for killing and whether or not revenge could be justice. Arya remembered how she confused the two for so much of her life and how the moment she let Cersei die alone while she held Jaime's hand, so he didn't, was the turning point. She felt like she did in Harrenhal when all she could think about was repeating her list when her list was the only thing that mattered, but other things in her life mattered. She had a niece and Sansa and Jon and Meera and Val and Theon and people who needed her. Arya closed her eyes and pressed her lips together.

"I'll try," she whispered because that was all she could promise right now. Sansa nodded, and they held each other for a long time. There was a frantic knock at their door, and Jon stood before them.

"Davos and Marya just walked through the gates of Winterfell," he said. They all raced down the stairs of the tower to find Davos and his wife standing in the courtyard. They looked like they had barely eaten or slept in days.

"Ser Davos," Sansa said. "We just came from Storm's End, and we were so worried when you weren't there."

"I know, and I'm sorry, Your Grace," Davos said as he tried to bow but stopped when it looked like he was about to fall over. "I knew we wouldn't be safe if we stayed, and I didn't want to risk trying to run to King's Landing. I took one of my ships, and I've been sailing around vessels since Connington showed up after the will was found. I couldn't believe it myself, and while it looked real, something didn't sit right with me."

"I don't blame you," Jon said as he walked over to help Davos and Marya stand. "Edric would never leave Storm's End to anyone but you. I would have run as well. You two looked exhausted, so why don't you get some rest and we can talk more tomorrow."

"It wasn't just the will," Davos said, shaking his head. "The bodies, I didn't get a good look at them until the maester stepped in, and by the time I was able to look at them, they were so disfigured I could hardly recognize them, but they didn't sit right with me. When I mentioned that they didn't look quite right, the maester told me that was the poison, and at the time, I believed him. The will turning up and the way it did and Connington practically strolling into Storm's End like he knew it was supposed to happen just made me sure of it."

"Sure of what?" Arya asked.

"Arya, the last thing I want to do is give you false hope, but too many things aren't adding up for me, so I must tell you this," Davos said, and he paused for a moment. "I'm not entirely sure that Gendry and his siblings are dead."

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Arya wasn't exactly sure what happened next. She knew she was standing in the middle of the courtyard in Winterfell. She knew that Marya Seaworth nearly fell over, and Val had to help her into the castle while Jon put Davos' arm over his shoulder and helped him into the castle. There was a ringing in her ear that wouldn't go away, and she could hear people talking to her, but she wasn't able to process any of the words. Arya blinked, and her senses came rushing back. Sansa was asking if she was all right, and there was something about that question that made her livid.

"No, of course, I'm not alright," Arya snapped. "I just found out that the husband I've been mourning might not be dead, but no one knows what happened to him. What part of me could possibly be alright?"

"Everyone in Storm's End thinks that Gendry and his siblings are dead. I didn't talk to anyone who said that they thought he was alive, and there wasn't a single rumor."

"Then, you missed something, obviously." Arya knew on some level that she was being unreasonable, but she didn't care right now. There was a glimmer of hope that Gendry could be out there somewhere and in need of help, and that was what she needed to get rid of this gaping wound in her chest. She had a goal, and that meant finding out exactly what Connington and his ilk knew, but she also needed a way to get into the Stormlands without anyone seeing her or knowing that she left. Sansa reached forward and touched her shoulder, but Arya shook her sister off and ran out into the godswood. That was the only place she could sit down and think about everything that she knew.

Arya knew that Storm's End was where she needed to go, but Connington knew her face. Even if she was in disguise, there was a chance that she could reveal something, and the treaty would be broken. There was a chance that his death could be linked back to her somehow since she was the one that was known for wanting revenge, and the only reason Gendry was in the south was because of Connington's part in the trial. She needed time to talk to Davos, but she also needed to figure out a way to get to the Stormlands undercover.

She thought about Yara's offer, but if Yara was found out, that could mean war with the Iron Isles. There was another Greyjoy that might be up to helping Arya get to the Stormlands, and that was Asha. She made the offer about sailing, and maybe this was a way to get around the treaty. The water was neutral as far as borders were concerned. If she said she was on a ship, they couldn't argue with her, and maybe her and Asha could figure out a way to switch ships and sneak down to Storm's End. Arya had no idea what she would do when she got to Storm's End, but right now, that wasn't the issue. The issue was getting there in the first place, which meant that she had a raven to send.

Nymeria followed her through Winterfell, and Arya ignored anyone that tried to talk to her. She pulled out a piece of paper and requested that Asha write back to her as soon as possible and to come to Winterfell if she was able to. It was the only idea that she had, and the only person she could think of that could get her in and out of Shipbreaker Bay without anyone even knowing she was there in the first place. Arya sent out the raven and quickly left the room before anyone knew that she had ever sent a letter in the first place. She would deal with her family when it was time to leave. Right now, the less they knew, the better.

Jon and Val were coming down the stairs when Arya saw them. They were both a little pale, and Jon looked uncomfortable. He nodded to Val, who turned and walked away as Jon approached her.

"Can we talk?" he asked softly. Arya nodded, and they ducked into a small room. "Arya, I don't want you to get false hope. We don't know if Gendry survived that attack, and I'm worried that you're going to hope for something that isn't true, and it's going to hit you all over again."

"I always thought I'd know," Arya replied, and Jon blinked like he didn't understand what she meant. "I always thought I'd know if he was dead and I didn't. I know now why I didn't feel it; it's because he's not dead, Jon."

"Arya, you--"

"I will not hear another option," Arya interrupted. "He is alive, and I will find him." She didn't want to hear what Jon had to say next and walked out of the room, her blood burning with purpose for the first time in a long time.

+++

Arya wasn't waiting outside Ser Davos' room first thing in the morning, but it was pretty close. The door opened, and Marya took one look at her, and her entire face crumpled. Arya couldn't remember the last time someone who was a mother held her like this, but she let the hug happen and muttered her thanks. Marya kissed her forehead and walked down the hall.

"Come in, Arya, I know you're out there," Davos said. Arya wasn't sure what she was supposed to say right now as Davos looked her over. "I appreciate your restraint in waiting for the sun to rise."

"You needed your rest," Arya argued as she sat down at the table with Davos. "How certain are you that he's alive?"

"Would I bet my life on it? Probably not, but there are too many things that don't add up for me. The way Connington acted when he showed up to Storm's End like he'd been preparing for that day. After hearing what he did to you and Gendry and what he said to Edric, Mya, and Bella on their way home was evidence enough to me that Edric wouldn't ever leave Storm's End to him. Even if Edric didn't leave it to me, I know he wouldn't leave it to him," Davos explained. "Then, there was the state of the bodies." Arya sucked in a breath but nodded for him to continue. "They were torn apart. Their faces and bodies were cut and bruised and bloodied and bloated with terrible poison that was making the skin rot off even after their heartbeats stopped. The bodies looked like they matched, and there was even soot on the one that was supposed to be Gendry, but something was odd.

"The maester rushed me out of the room and said that it wasn't safe," Davos continued. "He asked me for scars and birthmarks to confirm that the bodies were who we thought they were and then closed the door. He'd been at Storm's End since Renly was a boy, and I've known him for many years. I always assumed he was loyal to House Baratheon. He was the one who confirmed that it was the Baratheon's but told me that touching them was too dangerous. After Daenerys arrived and saw them, the maester put them in coffins without telling me he was doing so. So I only got to see the bodies three times."

"You think the maester of Storm's End was in on it in some way?" Arya asked as a plan began to form in her mind.

"He was the one who confirmed the bodies, and I stupidly believed him. By the time I realized that things just weren't adding up, Connington was the new Lord of Storm's End, and I didn't know what he would do to me. I heard him say privately that the matter of the Baratheon murders was solved, and it was old sellswords hired by the Lannister's that he caught on the way to Storm's End. It was too convenient, and I knew I wasn't safe, so I left. We avoided ships so no one saw us come to the North because I knew you Stark's would keep me safe," Davos said, and he sighed heavily. "I don't know what happened to them or if they are alive right now, but I am fairly certain the bodies in the crypts of Storm's End are not the Baratheon's."

"Thank you, Davos, for telling me everything," Arya replied. She pushed herself to her feet and walked out of the room but paused at the doorway. "You didn't fail them. I know you think that you did, but you didn't. There is more going on here than I think we realize, and I truly don't know what you could have done to prevent this."

"I appreciate the sentiment, lass, even if I don't believe it," Davos said softly. Arya walked out of the room and went to wait for a raven from Asha. She knew who she needed to talk to now, and it wasn't going to be Connington.

+++

Ten days after she sent the raven, Arya got a message from Asha. She already loved this idea and was on her way to Winterfell and would be there within the next two weeks. Now she just needed to convince her family that she wasn't about to start a war, but Arya wasn't sure how well that was going to work without Asha backing her up. So Arya threw herself into helping the blacksmith they found that was willing to help with Rhaegal, a bright young man just out of his apprenticeship named Edd, who smiled brightly and looked both terrified and eager at the idea of helping a dragon fly again. His eagerness in the forge reminded Arya far too much of a young Gendry who was just excited about the concept of making things. The contraption was complicated, and Edd wasn't near as talented as Gendry, but they were making progress.

Asha arrived five days later, looking all too pleased with herself and smiling when the Stark guards clearly had no idea who she was. Arya walked out to greet her, and her smile fell a little. Asha didn't appear to the type of hug which Arya was thankful for and instead put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Asha?" Theon said from behind them as he walked up. "Not that it isn't lovely to see you, but what exactly are you doing here?"

"I asked her to come," Arya said, and she gestured for them to follow her into the Great Hall where Jon, Val, and Sansa all were. They looked just as surprised to see Asha as Theon was though Jon faked it a little better.

"King Jon, this is my cousin, Lady Asha Greyjoy," Theon said.

"Lady Asha, it's lovely to finally meet you, but I'm afraid we didn't know you were coming. Is there a reason you're so far away from home?" Jon asked.

"I asked her to come," Arya said, and everyone looked at her. "I need some time away from all of this to clear my head, so I can figure out what I'm going to do next to find my husband and his siblings. I can't do that here, and Lady Asha offered to take me out to sea whenever I want. Right now, this is what I want."

"I thought you couldn't leave the North or we would be at war," Val said carefully as she glanced at Sansa and Jon because she didn't seem entirely sure that was the case. "You know we cannot risk going to war."

"The seas are neutral territory, Your Graces," Asha said. "We'll be flying under Greyjoy colors, and no one will even know that she's aboard. As long as she doesn't step foot off of the boat, nothing will happen."

"Jon," Arya said softly. "I need to do this, please." Jon probably knew that she was lying. In fact, there was a decent chance that everyone in this room knew that she was lying. However, Jon also likely realized that this was the safest way for Arya to leave the North without causing too much attention. She needed answers, and they all knew they could only hold her back so long before she lost her patience and went south to Storm's End.

"Lord Connington," Sansa said carefully. "Ser Davos, and now you think he has something to do with this. I want you to swear to me on our parent's lives that you won't touch him, Arya. I need you to swear it to me, and to everyone in this room, you will not confront or hurt that man in any capacity."

"I won't hurt Lord Connington, I won't speak to Lord Connington, he won't ever know I left the North. I swear this on our parent's lives," Arya replied, which wasn't a lie. She didn't plan on seeing Connington and as much as she wanted to put Needle through his eye, now wasn't the time. She had another target, and it was one that Sansa didn't ask her not to harm. Sansa seemed to relax a little and nodded to Jon.

"Please look after my sister, Lady Asha, she means the world to all of us," Jon said, and while he was telling Asha that it was Arya, he was looking at. She knew why he was doing this; it was a reminder that no matter what, she had family in the North that loved and cared about her. That was true, and Arya knew how much they loved her, and she loved them back, but a member of the pack was missing, and she intended to fix that.

They left the next morning Asha started leading them west, but Arya steered them southeast toward White Harbor and began to explain her plan. She needed to get into Storm's End, and no one could know that she was ever near there. They would sail south a little but not too far and meet up with a smaller ship that Asha would send a raven to meet them in the middle of nowhere. Asha and Arya would switch ships while Asha's ship would continue to fly the Greyjoy colors proudly, and the crew would port to talk about the princess on board. All the while, Asha and Arya would be heading to Storm's End under no colors. That night, Arya would disguise herself and go into the castle to talk to the maester who probably knew something. They would leave that night, meet up with the original ship, and go back to Winterfell.

"You really thought all of this through, didn't you little wolf," Asha said as they continued riding. "It's a good plan, and I quite like it."

"You could be executed for this. If you don't want to help me get into Storm's End, I can go by myself," Arya replied.

"Your husband was a good man. If he's still alive and I can help him, then that's what I'm going to do," Asha said.

It took them three long weeks to get to Storm's End, but by the time the castle appeared in the distance, Arya felt a little sick. She was dressed as a boy, as was Asha, and she would be waiting with the ship to leave as soon as possible. They docked in the middle of the afternoon, and Arya helped unload the cargo as she eyed the castle carefully. The rest of the crew and Asha took off into the nearby taverns as Arya began to make her way inside.

She loved Storm's End, but one of the things she did when they were visiting was learning how to get in and out of the castle without being detected. It was something she did for every major castle that she went to because, after King's Landing, one never knew when you needed to get out of a castle in a hurry. Connington apparently thought he was safe because there weren't a lot of guards around the castle, and the ones she did see looked very upset. They didn't want to be serving this man; she could tell, and Arya grit her teeth as she tried not to think about the injustice of all of this.

The maester was an old man, asleep in his bed, and the moonlight coming in through the doors gave Arya enough light that she didn't need to light a candle. She put Needle to this man's throat and waited for him to wake up. His eyes blinked slowly, and he gasped in panic.

"One wrong move and I cut you open," Arya threatened as she made sure she was hidden in shadow, and her voice was low.

"I have nothing," the maester begged, but Arya pressed the blade to his throat.

"The Baratheon's," Arya said. "You were the one who declared them dead, but it wasn't their bodies, was it. You lied to Ser Davos and Queen Daenerys about those bodies."

"I didn't, I swear, the bodies in the crypt--" Arya cut him off by cutting a shallow cut into his throat, and she stepped closer.

"Liar," she hissed. This was an old man that she was standing over, with tears in eyes, and he was looking at her like he was begging her for mercy, but her mercy was long gone. "Tell me what happened, or I start taking fingers and then toes and going from there."

"It wasn't them!" the maester cried out, and Arya waited. "You're right; I lied, I told them that it was the Baratheon bodies when it wasn't. They were stabbed, I stitched their wounds, and I gave them to someone mentioning Meereen and a man named Daario. I don't know what became of them after that, I swear, I swear by the Seven, that's all I know." Arya stood very still as she thought about what she was going to do. It wasn't much to go on, but Daenerys was once the Queen of Meereen, and if anyone knew anything about the city, it would be her. Gendry was stabbed, this man admitted that Gendry was stabbed, and he stitched their wounds and sent them off with unknown men.

Arya could not let that stand.

She removed the sword from his throat, and he breathed a sigh of relief, clearly thinking she intended to spare him. Instead, Arya picked up a pillow from the floor, walked over to the maester, and held it over his face. He thrashed against her, struggling for air, but Arya refused to move. He kept fighting until he went still beneath her, and even then, she waited. He was still for a long time before she pulled away and looked down at the old man she just killed. The cut on his throat was small and barely visible, no doubt they would think he died of old age, and she stared at him.

She felt nothing.

Arya snuck out of Storm's End with blood on her hands, a place, and a name.

+++

Gendry and Bella's horse was the first to collapse, and after that, they doubled up again on Mya and Edric's but the Second Sons, the men that Daario commanded, stayed close behind them. Anytime over the next month that they tried to double back east or go to a port town, someone would attack them. They had no choice but to run for their lives as they continued east. The other two horses eventually collapsed, and they had no choice but to continue on foot. Gendry had removed the arrow from Edric's calf, but the wound was not healing well. They didn't have much to keep it clean, and they needed all the water they could to drink. Edric did his best to walk on it, but Gendry eventually had to carry his brother on his back, or they wouldn't get anywhere.

"What are we supposed to do?" Mya asked after Edric had fallen asleep with his head in her lap. She was running her fingers through his messy hair, and the bandage on his leg didn't look clean anymore.

"If we stop, they either kill us or enslave us," Bella replied as she tossed another piece of wood into their tiny fire. She had managed to get them supplies from a small town that all but threw her out when they got a look at her hair and eyes. They were okay, at least for now, but it wasn't going to last long. Gendry was so exhausted he felt like he could barely keep his eyes open, and the added weight of carrying a grown man on his back left his entire body feeling like he got the shit kicked out of him again by The Mountain.

"We need to get somewhere safe so we can figure out how we're getting home," Mya said. "We need somewhere to heal because he's starting to feel warm to me, and I'm worried his wound is going to fester if it isn't already." Gendry wanted to reassure his sisters that they were going to be okay, but he couldn't. He didn't know how to tell them that the only plan he had was to run until these men stopped trying to catch them and hope to find a settlement that wasn't loyal to Daario. The world was beginning to go dark around the edges, and Gendry didn't know if he was falling asleep or passing out. In the end, it didn't really matter, because he needed to get some rest.

He dreamed of wolves, of Winterfell, of being safe in a home where people loved him. He dreamed of a sharp smile and grey eyes that reminded him of the moon. He dreamed of being locked in dungeons and a woman digging her nails into his cheek while calling him beautiful. He dreamed of staring down a dragon and cold hands snapping his bones. He dreamed of holding the person that meant the most to him in his arms and prayed to gods he wasn't sure he believed in anymore that he could someday hold her again.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Arya got back on the ship with the rest of the crew, and they sailed away from Storm's End just as she heard people talking about how the old maester died in his sleep. She could feel Asha watching her, but Arya didn't want to talk about it. All she could think about was that name, Daario, and Meereen, and the way the maester fought as she killed him. Arya based a lot of her life on death, but most of the time, she was defending herself or others when she killed. Even the stable boy she killed while escaping King's Landing was going to turn her in, so she was defending herself. Arya knew she could have knocked the maester out and gotten away before he was able to call for the guards. She could have hidden in the smuggling compartment of the ship, and no one would have ever known. She could have let him live, but, instead, she killed him, and Arya felt nothing.

Sansa said that she was worried she was going to lose her to revenge, and Arya wondered if this is what she meant. If this lack of feeling is what she would have felt if she was the one who killed Cersei Lannister. If she would have been able to kill someone without regrets or hesitation. Arya thought about the coin that would have taken her to Braavos if she hadn't escaped with Gendry all of those years ago. Would she have become a killer like Jaqen? Would she be killing for him right now? Arya laid in her bed and closed her eyes. It was all too much to think about.

Nearly a moon after the maester at Storm's End died, Arya arrived back in White Harbor, and everyone was acting fine. There didn't appear to be any rumors that war was coming, and the treaty seemed to be holding. Arya turned back to Asha was staring at her with no judgment in her eyes. It was nice not to be judged.

"I need to check on something, and then we need to start searching for anyone who might have information about the ships coming in and out of Shipbreaker Bay," Arya said.

"We can't raid them like we used to, not under Greyjoy colors, not unless you want to start a war, little wolf," Asha crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "Tell me what you need to know, and I can start looking for it. Once we know, it'll be a lot easier."

"I can't risk this information getting out. I need to confirm we're right before we can do anything else. Can you stay nearby, and we can head out again once I have my information?" Arya asked. Asha smiled brightly and nodded to her crew.

"They need some time off anyway. I'll come with you to Winterfell and spend some time with that cousin of mine that I don't know very well. When you're ready to ship out again, I'll be there, and we can ship out. Simple as that." Asha turned around and began to give some orders to her crew, who cheered at the idea of getting some time off. They were a good group of people, and they respected Asha in a way that Arya rarely got to see with women in command. No one had a higher rank on the ship than Asha, and Arya wondered what it would be like to command a ship like that.

Everyone at Winterfell looked surprised to see Asha walk through the gates with her but seemed to accept her presence for what it was. Theon actually did look a little excited to get to know the cousin he'd only met a handful of times, and Brienne looked eager to learn how to fight from a woman who could keep herself steady on the raging sea. Arya accepted the hugs from her family and told them that while she was feeling better, she still wasn't feeling great either. It had been almost three moons since Gendry had been taken from her, and while Arya wanted to rush, that could get him killed. She knew nothing of Meereen or this Daario, but there was someone who did. Daenerys was just in Winterfell, but perhaps she would come again if Arya told her about the progress they were making with Rhaegal. She sent out the raven that night and pretended that she was okay with her family.

It turned out that information on Rhaegal was very much the right way to get Daenerys up to Winterfell. Ten days after she sent her raven Drogon appeared in the sky. This time, Arya made sure to forewarn her brother that a dragon would appear in the North's skies soon. Daenerys was alone this time, and she smiled softly as she walked into the castle. She greeted everyone warmly and nodded. Davos and Marya were in their rooms and would be staying there while Daenerys was here because they weren't sure how she would react to them running.

"If you see Ser Davos, please tell him that I'm sorry about what happened," Daenerys explained as they all sat in the Great Hall and had an early lunch. "I was surprised by the will as well, but the maester and others assured me in Storm's End that it was genuine."

"Seems odd that Edric would leave Storm's End to a man like Lord Connington," Sansa said, and Daenerys sighed.

"I don't disagree, but he does have the support of several Stormland houses, including Trant, Ewol, and a few others. I haven't decided if I will let him keep the position for now, but having the support of his fellow Lord's is very important," Daenerys explained. "That being said, the smallfolk have not taken to him the way they took to Edric, but Edric was a unique young man, and I don't suppose we'll ever see someone like him in the Stormlands again." Arya was glad that everyone in the Great Hall knew to keep their mouths shut about Gendry and the others being alive for now. Arya didn't believe that Daenerys had anything to do with this, but there could be spies in the Red Keep, and she didn't trust this information with anyone. They all changed the subject, and the conversation got lighter.

Arya took Daenerys out to meet Edd and Corbin. Edd looked like he fell in love on the spot while Corbin looked her up and down and didn't seem that impressed. They both seemed a bit taken back when Daenerys thanked them both for trying to help her son and bowing. Even Corbin, who didn't know Westeros customs that well, seemed to know that it was a big deal. Edd and Corbin spent the next hour telling Daenerys how they were going to try and get Rhaegal to try again and even told her what she might have to do to keep him flying should they succeed. Daenerys listened to every word and thanked them both again.

She wanted to see Rhaegal, and Arya was glad it could be just the two of them heading up to the caves again because it gave Arya a chance to talk to her without anyone else listening. No one else knew about the information she had, and Arya very much wanted to keep it that way.

"I heard you went sailing with Asha Greyjoy," Daenerys said as they walked along the path.

"I did," Arya replied. "The water is neutral land, and we never even got as far south as the Red Keep. I needed some time away from home. I also didn't leave the ship, so no need to declare war on us."

"I know, Arya, it's quite alright," Daenerys said as she held up a hand to silence her. "Did it help? Getting away from it all?"

"It did, and the men would come back aboard and tell me all sorts of stories from the taverns. So of them spoke about Meereen. You used to rule there, didn't you?" Arya asked.

"I did," Daenerys replied. "I wanted to end slavery there because it is truly a barbaric practice. There was a moment in my life where I thought Meereen was enough, and I could stay there and rule happily. I considered it but decided that coming to Westeros was the best decision I could make. Cersei was in power by then, and I knew I couldn't leave the people here to suffer under her."

"You just left?" Arya asked. "How can a queen just leave her kingdom?"

"I left a man named Daario Naharis in charge along with his army called the Second Sons to rule in my name." Arya glanced at Daenerys and saw an odd expression on her face that Arya had only seen once before; when Daenerys was around Quentyn. A piece of information seemed to slide into place, and she felt a little ill.

"I've seen that look in your eye before, Your Grace, and it was toward your husband. Did you know this Daario intimately?" she said.

"Nothing gets by you, Starks, does it," Daenerys said with a laugh. "Yes, Daario was my lover, and he was quite taken with me and very loyal, but I needed to come here. I know he would do anything to please me, and keeping Meereen safe is what pleases me, so I hope that he is doing a good job." Arya nodded and decided it was probably best not to ask any more questions lest Daenerys start to get suspicious. They visited Rhaegal, who seemed just thrilled to see his mother again, and she spent the night in Winterfell. She left the next morning, and Arya watched her go. Asha walked over, and the two of them watched the dragon fade into the sky and along the horizon line.

"What did you find out?" she asked.

"We need to look for ships heading to Meereen," Arya said. "I think he might have taken Gendry and the other as some sort of present or something he did in honor of her. When he knew her, she hated the Baratheon's for what they did to her family. He probably thinks he is doing her a favor by kidnapping the children of the man that ruined her life and stole her family's crown all of those years ago." Asha nodded, and the two of them stood in silence for a moment, but Asha broke the silence.

"If that's the case, Arya, you should prepare yourself for the worst possible scenario," she said. "If he took them in honor of her, then he might have killed them in honor of her as well." Arya didn't say anything because the moment that she did, she would have to think about the fact that Asha was right. If Daario thought he was honoring Daenerys by taking them, there was a chance they were already dead, but she refused to believe that. She refused to believe that she wouldn't know if Gendry left this world.

+++

They left the next morning for the Narrow Sea and began to try and find ships that were sailing for Meereen. It was taking too long, and Arya kept counting the days as she wondered if she was running out of time. Another moon went by, and it had been four since Gendry was taken. If he was still alive, she didn't want to think about what he was being treated like. She hoped that Daario wasn't an idiot and knew that he had noble prisoners. Maybe he would treat them better, and maybe there was still hope that her husband was still whole and well.

That hope was crushed the day that they finally found a ship with a man that was willing to talk. He panicked as soon as he saw them and assured her that he didn't know anything about anything. He was lying through his teeth.

"I swear, the soldiers, they just wanted to use my ship. I don't usually transport cargo like that. Please, don't tell Queen Daenerys or she might burn me, and I don't want that. Please, they didn't say what they were transporting," the captain begged, and Arya frowned deeply.

"Do you think Daenerys would burn you for transporting political prisoners?" she asked, and the man blinked. He glanced between the two of them and saw Arya fingering the sword at her hip. It was clear that he was afraid of whoever took control of his ship as well.

"No, I didn't know they were nobles," the man said carefully. "They didn't tell me they were nobles; they told me they were slaves. Two men and two women with black hair and blue eyes, that is what they looked like when I saw them. Queen Daenerys banned slavery in Meereen, but those were Daario's men, and I didn't want to question them. Please, you have to believe me, I wanted nothing to do with those slaves." Arya didn't want to hear another word from this man and walked away without another word. She vaguely heard Asha thank the man for his help and passed him some coins that Arya had taken from Winterfell for this exact purpose. Arya stared east and tried to swallow the lump in her throat.

"He said they were slaves," Arya whispered. "He said they were slaves because there isn't anything in the world that Daenerys hates more than slavery. Death is too good of a punishment for the enemies of the Dragon Queen. This man made them into slaves."

"We need to go back to the North," Asha said, and Arya stared at her. They needed to go to Meereen, but Asha seemed to be reading her mind. "No, if we go and kick up a fuss, it'll make things worse for them if they are still in Meereen. We need more information, and there isn't anyone with better contacts in the east than your Ser Davos. I don't have connections in Meereen, but he will and let him get us some information. Then, we'll go get your husband back." Arya nodded slowly and then began to sail back to White Harbor.

It took Davos another full moon turn for him to figure out exactly what was going on in Meereen because, apparently, it was chaos. At first, he didn't seem to understand why it was taking everyone so long to get back to him, but Arya kept looking at the days that ticked by. It was five moon turns now since Gendry went missing, and every day it felt like she was closer to losing him. When Davos finally got a raven from one of his contacts near Meereen, Arya thought she was finally going to have enough news that she'd have the opportunity to go and find him. The chance to bring Gendry and his siblings home, but Davos paled as he read the message.

"Davos, please, tell me what's wrong," Arya said.

"Daario is dead. Apparently, a woman with black curly hair tried to take him to bed and killed him. Then she and her siblings fled east. The guards are confident that they will be caught because there isn't a port town that will help them, and if they try to turn around and go west, someone will catch them," Davos explained. "They got away, Arya, but they are being chased across Essos, and no one knows exactly where they are or where they are going to end up. We have no way of finding them."

+++

It was only a few days after the first month that Edric spiked a fever. The wound on his leg was beginning to fester, and they had nothing they could use to treat it. Gendry carried his little brother into every single village he could find and begged for them to help him. He offered them anything he had to help him, but everyone refused. They all told him that there was no way that they would risk the wrath of the Second Sons to help a bunch of runaway slaves. Gendry tried to explain that they were kin of the Dragon Queen, but no one believed them. A man spat in his face and told Gendry that kin of the Dragon Queen wouldn't look like him.

Gendry sat Edric down in some shade and tried to think about what he could do. The infection was traveling, and it appeared that walking funny on the leg had opened up some blisters on Edric's foot as well. The foot was rotting; Gendry knew what a limb that was dying looked like, and it needed to be removed, but the idea of mangling his brother like that turned his stomach. Bella and Mya were back at the tiny campsite they had made, and he wanted to bring them back good news, but he didn't have any. He was so tired, and every muscle hurt, but Edric was barely conscious, let alone able to walk.

"Do you really know her?" a voice asked, and Gendry looked up to see a woman in rags standing just out of reach.

"I made the crown that she wears with my bare hands. She legitimized my brother and me, gave us names, and calls us family," Gendry replied.

"The gold dragon that she rides, I've seen it, and it's incredible," the woman said, and Gendry frowned because that didn't make any sense.

"She didn't ride the golden one, she rode the black one," he said, wondering if maybe Daenerys rode Viserion at some point during her stay in Meereen. The woman suddenly grinned and relaxed.

"You do know her," the woman said. "I was a slave in Meereen, and she helped free me. I believe you when you say she is kin." The woman reached into her pack and pulled out a small bottle. She handed it to Gendry and looked down at Edric. "His foot, it is killing him, you need to remove it if he's going to live. If you remove the site of the infection and have him drink what I just gave you, I believe he'll live. Otherwise, he will die in two days."

"Thank you," Gendry whispered as he looked over the bottle in his hand. When he looked up to thank the woman again, she was gone. He imagined she didn't want to seen with him, and he didn't entirely blame her. Gendry grit his teeth and lifted his brother onto his back and carried him back to the site. Mya and Bella looked sad to see him, but when he told them about his plan, they both looked disturbed.

"Gendry, he--" Bella started.

"If we don't do this, he dies," Gendry said as he tied a cord just above the infection site. They burned and cleaned the swords the best they could and put a piece of leather between Edric's teeth just in case he woke up. Mya and Bella were the ones who had to hold him down as Gendry had to cut through flesh and bone to remove the infected foot. Edric woke up and screamed but passed out again mere seconds later. Gendry was grateful, but that scream of pain would haunt his nightmares. He switched places with Mya, who learned how to sew so she could help healers. They managed to massage the potion down Edric's throat, and they all fell asleep covered in blood.

They couldn't let Edric rest too long, and after four days, Gendry had to carry him again. It had been two months since they were taken from Storm's End, and every time Gendry thought they were getting some distance between them and the Second Sons, more of them would be rumored to be on the way. Edric woke up and didn't say anything about his foot. Instead, he clenched his jaw as they continued to run.

The weeks went by, and the horizon never seemed to end. They were getting weaker and weaker by the day, and Gendry couldn't remember a time when they felt rested. Another moon went by and then another, and before he knew it, it had been five moons since they were taken from Storm's End. Their camps were invaded by soldiers, and Gendry had more blood on his hands. Mya and Bella both learned to sleep with their hands on daggers and would lash out like they were going to slit throats. In some way, the running reminded him of the Riverlands with Arya and Hot Pie. They were miserable, but they were closer as siblings than they had ever been. Gendry never thought he would have this connection with them, yet here they were. It was how he bonded with Arya, so of course, it was how he connected with his sisters and brother.

The sun rose, and Gendry gathered Edric into his arms, Mya and Bella gathered their things, and they continued to go east. Perhaps they would find the edge of the world, and Gendry contemplated just walking off the edge. Maybe then he could get some rest.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Arya didn't know what she was supposed to say to that. It wasn't possible that Gendry could be alive, and there wasn't anything she could do about it. The only option was going out to find him, but that meant explaining to her family what was going on. Davos seemed to be reading her mind as he sighed and went over to the wall where a large map resided. He gestured for her to join him, and he pointed to Essos.

"Arya, he could be anywhere east of Meereen, and we don't know where. There isn't any way to find him until they resurface on their own. Maybe they find someone willing to help them, but until we hear something going over and running around Essos isn't going to solve anything," he explained. "You need to tell your siblings about your findings."

"Why would I do that?" Arya asked, immediately defensive.

"Because you're thinking of running across Essos trying to find four people. That isn't something that you can do in a fortnight," Davos replied. "I've been keeping these correspondences from the king that is keeping me safe, and I won't do that anymore, lass. I need you to tell them, or I will." That made Arya angry, but she didn't have much of a choice. She turned her back on Davos and called everyone into the Great Hall. Arya went on to explain what she'd been doing for the last few months but left out the part about how she was the one who killed the maester in Storm's End. That kind of information hadn't made its way North, and she wasn't going to be the one to tell them that she killed an old man in cold blood.

"It sounds like it's impossible," Sansa said carefully as she too looked over a map of Essos. "They could be anywhere at any given time. You don't have any way of really tracking them unless you start tracking the people trying to kill them, and even then, they wouldn't tell you where you need to go. They're running east, and I don't know how you could even begin to catch up to them."

"There might be a way," Asha said carefully, and everyone turned to look at her. "Eventually, they're going to make it to the east coast of Essos, and there won't be anywhere for them to go. That's just the way it is, and if we try to sail to the coast, it could take even longer. I think there might be a way to meet them there." Asha walked over to the map and pointed to the west coast of Westeros. "If the world is round, then if you sail west, you'll eventually find the east coast of Essos."

"You think the world is round?" Davos asked. "I'm an accomplished sailor, Lady Asha, but nothing like that has ever been confirmed."

"I think it's true," Asha said. "I think that if you go sail west, you'll find the east coast of Essos, and that limits our search radius by a lot. It's just the towns on the coast because that is as far as they could run."

"How sure are you of this?" Meera asked.

"Pretty sure," Asha said with a shrug. "It's something I've always wanted to prove, and now I have the perfect excuse to do so."

"But you don't know it's true," Jon said. "The sea could go on forever, or the world could just end. This could be a suicide mission."

"I'm going," Arya said, and everyone turned to look at her. "Asha is right. If Gendry and his siblings are anywhere, it would be in one of these coastal towns. I know Gendry; once he found somewhere safe, he would stay there. They are tired and hurt, and they need time to recover. He would pick the safest of these towns, and he would lie in wait. I need to go after him."

"Arya, you don't even know if he's alive," Sansa said. "Look at how far they would have ridden or possibly walked. We don't know if they made it."

"I know he made it," Arya said, and she didn't know how many times she needed to repeat herself before someone listened to her.

"Everyone except my sisters and my brother, please leave," Jon said. Everyone turned and looked at him, but he was using his King voice, so they all walked out of the Great Hall and left them alone. "We might not ever see you again; you could die on this trip. Arya, you need to think about this. "

"I really don't need to think about this," Arya snapped.

"No, you don't," Bran said. Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to look at their little brother. Bran might be a father now, but he was a man of few words still. Arya felt a lump in her throat as Bran looked her in the eye. It was like when he was the Three-Eyed Raven and could see into her soul, and it was a profoundly uncomfortable moment. "You have made your decision regardless of what any of us have to say. No one here is going to make you choose, Arya, because we all know which one you would pick."

The words hurt more than a knife to the gut and Arya didn't know what she was supposed to say to that. Jon and Sansa both looked resigned and didn't say anything to her. Instead, Jon pushed Bran's chair out of the Great Hall, and the three of them left her alone. Arya closed her eyes and tried to ignore the mournful howl that rang through Winterfell.

+++

Her family wasn't quite avoiding her, but Arya felt like they were keeping their distance. On some level, she understood. She was leaving again, and Arya knew that they were taking it personally. On another level, she couldn't just leave Gendry and his siblings to their fate. She had to save them, or it would be the thing that would haunt them for the rest of their lives. Arya walked out of the Great Hall alone and told Asha to start gathering all of the supplies they would need for the trip. Asha thought it would take at least three moons to reach the coast, but it could take longer. There was a chance they could run out of food or water if the worst should happen. Arya couldn't think about the worst right now.

Arya spent the next three days gathering supplies and talking to anyone but her blood relatives. Val nodded but didn't look particularly happy about the entire thing, but she helped Arya get the supplies she needed. Theon looked resigned but helped Asha with anything they might need for the ship that was waiting on the west coast for them. Meera handed her a spear attached to a long line of thick rope and told her that they could use it to catch fish if they ran out of food. Brienne and Davos both promised to look after the family that currently wasn't really speaking to her, which was enough.

After a sennight of planning, she walked out into the godswood and was greeted with a sight that she hadn't seen in a long time. It was Bran sitting in front of the heart tree. Jojana was in his arms and very much asleep, looking incredibly peaceful in the furs that Bran still wore. He was looking at her fondly but looked up at her when she walked up to him.

"It's not a choice," Arya said carefully, and he blinked at her in the way that reminded her of the Three-Eyed Raven, and she hated it. "I'm not picking him over family. He's my family just as much as you are, as Jojana is, as Jon is, as everyone is. I need to go and save him because everyone else has given up on him."

"I know, Arya," he said.

"Then why did you say what you said?" she asked.

"Because my sister seems extremely keen to throw her own life away, and I don't want to see that. No one wants to see that, but Jon and Sansa are just more vocal about it," Bran explained, and he sighed as he looked down at Jojana. "You didn't hesitate for even a moment. You didn't even stop to think about what it would be like for us if you didn't come back. What it would be like if you just perished at sea, and we never knew what happened to you. We've been through not knowing what happened to each other before, Arya, and none of us want to do it again. I know why you're going after Gendry, we all do, and we all love and miss him too. It's the fact that you didn't even consider how you possibly dying at sea would affect the rest of us; that hurts."

"The last thing I want to do is hurt the only family I have left," Arya whispered. She sat down next to him, and they didn't say a word to each other until an hour later that Meera came with a guard to help Bran push his chair back to the castle. Arya offered to do it instead.

It took another sennight for the supplies to be ready, and that included the supplies that Asha was sending directly to the ship or having another ship meet them while they were on the way. The plan was to stop by the Iron Isles for the last of the supplies and then go west. When Davos asked Asha if Yara would be mad that she decided to go on this trip without asking, Asha shrugged and didn't seem to care.

Arya thought they would be alone on the trip to the coast, but Jon, Sansa, Theon, Val, and Davos all insisted on making the trip with them. Bran and Meera stayed behind, and Arya held Jojana for a long time. She was going to be a different person by the time she returned, and no one said a word at the tears she shed at how much of her niece's young life she was going to be missing on this trip. This time was precious, but Arya knew what she was giving up. Sansa and Jon both spoke to her, and she felt a little lighter by the time they finally got to the coast. Asha and Theon hugged, and Asha walked onto the ship to give Arya some privacy.

She hugged all of them, and Arya tried not to think about the way that Sansa whispered that she needed to come home. She tried not to think about the fact that Jon was holding her so tight that she thought he might break a rib. She tried not to think about Nymeria following her to the coast but knowing that she was leaving a piece of her heart in the North. Arya didn't promise to come home, and no one asked her to make that promise because it wasn't one that she could keep.

"I will never stop fighting to come back to you," Arya said because that was a promise she could keep. Asha called out that they needed to go, and there wasn't ever going to be a good time to say goodbye. Arya nodded to her family, pretended there weren't tears in her eyes, turned her back to them, and walked onto the ship. She watched them as the ship sailed away until they were nothing but specks on the horizon. When they vanished from sight, Arya went down to her cabin, crawled into her tiny bed, and cried until there was nothing left.

+++

Yara wasn't exactly thrilled that they were sailing west, but this also wasn't the first time that Asha had attempted this before, so she wasn't against it either. They took two ships between them and made sure that they were both split evenly with supplies. It made sense; if the ship with the supplies went down, they would be in serious trouble. Yara didn't ask why she wanted to go west and Arya wasn't ready to tell someone other than family what was going on. There were spies in Westeros, and she didn't know who was listening in the walls in Pyke. They finally set off, and Arya found that she quite liked sailing. Asha taught her everything that she knew about sailing, and for the first moon or so, it was nice. The sun was bright and hot, the men and women that Asha had sailing with her were good people that took her under their wing, and Arya thought again how much she would have liked to be an explorer in another life.

It wasn't long after the first moon that the seas started to get rough, and Asha started to look a little nervous for the first time. They looked west, and Arya could see that the clouds were starting to get darker; there was a storm, and it looked massive.

"Could we go around it, captain?" one of the men asked as Asha looked over her map. "Sail south until we pass the storm and then keep going west?"

"That could add weeks or even months onto our journey. We could run out of supplies," Asha replied. "That storm is massive, and the winds and the seas are pushing us right toward it. The only way that I can see is through." Asha looked up at Arya with a serious expression. "On my second attempt west, I had to turn around because my crew voted not to go through the storm, Princess, and we'll be doing the same voting today. If they decide not to go through, we turn around, and we go home."

"I understand," Arya said, but she didn't mean the words. At the same time, she hadn't been through a storm at sea, and whatever was going on out there was making an experienced sailor like Asha nervous, and that was enough to make Arya nervous. She spent the rest of her day in her room, trying not to think about what she would do if they had to turn around. They would have to restock and try again, but that could take several moons to half a year at most. That wasn't time that Gendry and his siblings had, at least Arya didn't think they did. Asha knocked on the door and told her that the crew decided to risk going through the storm. Arya was on her feet in a second. "Tell me what I can do to help."

"Follow me," Asha said, and they both went on deck. The wind was blowing harder, and the ship was already starting to rock. A crew member helped Arya tie a long rope around her waist, and she realized that this was supposed to keep her from being lost at sea if she fell overboard. She helped Asha and the crew prep as they sailed into the storm.

The waves got bigger and bigger, and Arya felt like she couldn't keep her balance. She kept almost falling, and so many people kept grabbing her arm to keep her from falling. The rain was pouring, and the wind was unlike anything she had ever felt before. She was cold and shivering even though she was sweating as she and Asha tried to keep steering straight. Arya could see their second ship was also struggling, but everyone seemed to be hanging on for now. Arya looked up and saw a massive wave approaching them. It seemed to keep getting bigger and bigger as it got closer, and Arya felt her heart stop. If that wave fell on them, they would be done for.

"What is dead may never die!" Asha yelled as the ships approached the wave. They were climbing up and up, trying to reach the crest, and Arya closed her eyes as she held on for dear life. They were almost to the top, the wind was howling, Asha seemed to be screaming at the drowned god himself, and Arya opened her eyes as the ship broke over the top of the massive wave. The speed as they fell down the other side of the wave was unlike anything she had ever felt before. The shift was so sudden that Arya lost her balance again. She was airborne for half a moment before crashing back down to the hard wood of the ship. Arya tasted salt on her tongue, and could hear the crew yelling some more, as the world around her went dark.

+++

Gendry couldn't remember the last time he wasn't in pain, that his muscles didn't ache, that his stomach didn't ache with hunger or his tongue wasn't so dry with thirst that he could barely speak. They were all getting thinner as the food got harder and harder to find. They had run out of things to trade, and now all they had were their weapons. Edric was getting lighter as Gendry got weaker, which didn't make carrying him any easier. Mya and Bella weren't fairing much better as their boots were beginning to wear through the same way that Gendry's were. He didn't know how much longer they could go on like this. He wasn't even sure how many moons it had been since he'd last seen Storm's End, six maybe, it felt like a lifetime ago. He remembered Arya's face, her eyes, but her presence in his mind felt like it was being sucked away by the Essos sun and the endless walking.

He didn't know what the thing he tripped on was or if he even tripped on anything. One moment Gendry was walking, and the next, he was stumbling to the ground. Edric grunted as he hit the ground, but he was yelling for Mya and Bella. His voice sounded far away, which was probably a bad sign. They hadn't seen any of the Second Sons in awhile, but that didn't mean they weren't right behind them. The sun was burning Gendry's palms, but he couldn't force himself to move. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and he looked up to see Mya looking back at him.

"Little brother, I think you've worked hard enough," she said.

"No, I'm the only one strong enough to carry him, and he can't walk. We don't have any way for him to walk," Gendry replied, but his words sounded slurred even to him.

"Bella and I can take turns carrying him. I'll take the first shift, and you lean on Bella to get some rest," Mya insisted. Gendry knew that his sisters were strong, and Edric was so much lighter now that Mya was able to haul him onto her back. It didn't look very comfortable to either of them, but there wasn't anything they could do about it. Bella pulled Gendry up by the arm, put said arm over his shoulder, and took some of his weight. They continued on.

Gendry didn't know how much longer they walked, but they crested a large hill, and something in the air seemed to change. There was moisture for the first time in a long time, and after they could see over the hill, Gendry froze. He didn't think he would ever see an ocean again, but there it was. He wondered if they had gotten turned around, and this was the south coast of Essos, but the sun's placement said this was east. They had reached the end of Essos, and there was nowhere else to go. On the edge of the water, Gendry could see a small fishing village, and they had no supplies and nowhere else to go. They had to try and see if this was a place that could take them in.

They were all stumbling as they tried to make it to the village, but it seemed that the distance was too much. Gendry watched as Mya fell to the ground, and when he fell, he took Bella down with him. Edric started crawling in the dirt toward the village, yelling as loud as he could, but Gendry felt like he was underwater. He could hear voices and people asking what was going on. Edric was begging, his proud little brother was begging for any assistance they could offer. Gendry closed his eyes and let the darkness take him.

+++

Gendry wasn't expecting to wake up again, but when he did, he was staring at an unfamiliar ceiling. There was movement next to him, and he turned his head to see a little girl with black hair and dark eyes staring at him. He was about to ask what was going on when she turned and ran. Gendry managed to sit himself up and realized he was in a room with four beds, and he could thankfully see all of his siblings. They all looked to be alive and much healthier than they had been in many moons. An older woman walked in, and she narrowed her eyes as she looked him over.

"How are you feeling?" she asked as she handed Gendry a glass of water. He drank the entire thing as fast as he could and then two more before she told him he had to stop or he'd make himself sick.

"Much better, thank you," Gendry whispered. "My brother and sisters, I suppose we owe you all our lives."

"Your brother, he said you're running from men who would put you in chains or kill you," she said, and Gendry nodded.

"The killing would likely be a mercy," he whispered as he glanced at his sister's. She followed his line of sight and nodded.

"My name is Weneya, and you aren't here as far as everyone here is concerned," Weneya said, and Gendry nodded slowly. He tried to stop the tears from forming in his eyes, but he couldn't remember the last time someone was kind to him. The woman at the village who gave him the tonic that saved Edric's life was the one and only time. Now this woman, Weneya, this village, was going to try and protect him. She reached forward and cradled Gendry's face in her hands. Weneya brushed the tears away with her thumbs and looked at him carefully.

"We can work, we can do whatever you need to help repay this incredible gift you're giving us. I swear it," Gendry whispered, but Weneya smiled softly.

"Right now, you all need rest for you're no use to anyone half dead," she said. "Rest, and once you're well, you can work on repaying us for kindness." Weneya stood up and walked out of the small room without another word. Gendry fell back on the pillows and was asleep within seconds.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

The next time Gendry woke up, he was feeling better than he had in months. His entire body still felt like one giant bruise, but he still felt better. He managed to sit himself up, and before Gendry could really come to terms with being awake, two people threw themselves at him to hug him. There was a mouthful of curly black hair in his face as his sister's held onto him as if for dear life. Gendry held onto them just as tightly and didn't release them until they pulled away from him. Neither of them were crying, but they looked like they were about to. Edric was in the bed next to him, and despite his sister's practically sitting on him, Gendry managed to reach across and squeeze his little brother's hand.

"I'm so glad you're all okay," Edric said. The infection and all of the blood he lost from losing his foot left Edric looking rather fragile, but he was the one who talked to the villagers and got them the help they needed. "I don't think I've panicked like that since I was a kid when all of you just fell over like that."

"You would have crawled to the village to get us to help if you had to," Gendry said. "I saw you do it, and whatever you said to these people, you got us the help we needed. We're all safe now because of you." Edric's ears turned a little red.

"I told them the truth, and it turns out trying to control places half a continent away doesn't go over well with these people. They aren't fans of the Second Sons, so they were all too willing to take us in," Edric explained.

"Still, your words got us here," Mya said. Gendry realized for the first time that he could be away from his siblings again if any of them wanted, but the mere idea of not being able to see all three of them made a knot form in his stomach. It reminded him of the early years with Arya, and it took a long time before he was able to be separated from her for any amount of time and not fall into a panic that he was going to lose her.

"Weneya says we can keep this hut," Bella explained. "She said it belonged to one of her children that was lost at sea and no one has lived in it since. It's ours for as long as we want it." Now that he was awake, Gendry could see that there wasn't much to the hut. There were four small pallet beds and a small fire pit in the corner. There was a little room for storage and food but not much beyond that. "I was thinking we could push the beds altogether and in a corner. That would give us more room." Gendry liked the sound of being closer to them, and the three of them moved Edric and pushed the four pallet beds together. Now it sort of looked like one of the massive beds at Storm's End. Gendry pushed that thought from his mind and looked at Edric in the lone chair.

"We need to figure out a way to get you moving again, little brother. I can't keep carrying you around like a newborn babe," Gendry said.

"Oh fuck off," Edric snapped, and the tension in the room broke. Gendry felt lighter than he had in months as he pulled Edric onto his back, and the four of them ventured out into the village. Weneya had given them some new clothes already, and there was a nearby lake so they could finish washing the blood and sweat from their bodies. They met with the local fisherman, and one of them pointed to his leg made out of wood that he had to create when he lost his foot to a large sea creature. Gendry wasn't the best with wood, but with a little help, he figured he could probably make it so Edric could get around on his own again. Weneya invited them to dinner that night, and it was some of the best fish Gendry had ever had in his life. The other villagers were all kind and laughed with them. It was nice; it was more than he felt like he deserved at that moment, but seeing his siblings smile again was worth it.

+++

A month later and Gendry felt like they were all settling in nicely. He once asked Weneya if the village had a name, and she looked at him like he was an idiot. It took a few attempts, and the local fisherman helped, but Gendry managed to create a wooden foot for Edric to walk on. The four of them would spend long nights in their hut teaching Edric, essentially how to walk again. It was the same process that Sansa had to go through with Theon, but Gendry tried not to think about all of that too much. If he thought about the North or Arya that much he'd be struck with an overwhelming sense of guilt. Here he was, carefree and even a little happy in this village, what right did he have to be happy without her? It felt like a betrayal of some sort, and he only felt more guilty the less he tried to think of his old life.

Gendry didn't feel any better about being away from his siblings, and they stuck close to him too. He supposed this was natural considering what they went through, and some of the villagers thought they were a little strange, these four siblings that hated to be apart from one another, but none of them cared. They were all better when they were close, and that was the only thing that mattered. When the sun was down and it was dark, they would whisper to each other about trying to figure out a way to get back home, but the village was small, and there weren't any large cities or trading ports for miles. They would have to go back west, and then they might run into the Second Sons again and run the risk of slavery. Every day they would decide, together, if they were going to stay or if they were going to go, and every day that they chose to stay, Gendry felt like he was letting Arya down somehow.

He wondered, sometimes at night, if she believed that he was dead. As far as all of Westeros knew, they were dead and gone, so of course, no one would be looking for them. Davos would stop at nothing to figure out who killed them, but that didn't mean he would ever figure it out. And even if he did, the chances of someone telling him the truth about the four escaped slaves wasn't very high. Everyone who knew him and loved him was in this room now because the rest of those people were moving on. They had to, that was what grief told them to do, and Gendry knew he couldn't resent them for that. He wondered if Arya would move on, maybe even fall in love again, and while that thought was like taking a sword to the gut, the thing he wanted above all else was her happiness. If he couldn't be there anymore to make her happy, then maybe someone else could.

They were working outside of the hut when someone called out an alarm. Gendry looked up, and they saw a small group of all too familiar soldiers riding toward the village. He grabbed his siblings and pulled them all into the hut. They had the weapons they stole from Daario, and Gendry managed to keep them in decent form, but that didn't mean anything. They stayed in their small home, weapons in hand, and listened.

"Soldiers, what can I do for you?" Weneya asked.

"Looking for the elder of this village," one of the soldiers said.

"I'm the elder of this village, now, what can I do for you?" Weneya asked again. There was a brief moment of silence, and Gendry assumed these soldiers were trying to figure out whether or not she was telling the truth.

"Some slaves and fugitives escaped from Meereen and were last seen heading east. We're checking all of the villages in the name of the Second Sons," the soldier said.

"No runaway or anything has come through this place. I should know, I know everyone here, so I'm afraid you'll need to check elsewhere," Weneya said.

"We'd rather check ourselves," another soldier said, and there was the sound of the men getting off of their horses. Gendry closed his eyes and knew what was going to happen. He glanced at Edric, who was already baring his teeth at the entrance to their home. Both Mya and Bella had daggers in their hands and looked plenty deadly with them. They had taken the lives of plenty of Second Sons since they started running, and they looked keen to do it now. This group couldn't live, or they might come back with more. This group needed to die. Gendry glanced at his siblings and got three nods back. The four of them emerged from their hut and stared down the soldiers.

"Well, well, look at that," one of the soldiers said with a smirk. "We've been looking for the four of you. If you come quietly, we promise only to hang one of you for murder. The other three can go into slavery as intended."

"We're not going anywhere," Edric snapped. "And you aren't going to hurt anyone in this village. You want us? Come and get us."

"You heard the boy," one of the soldiers said, and they all pulled their swords. Gendry wasn't going to let Weneya or anyone else pay for his crimes; he knew his sisters and brother felt the same way, and if that meant dying on their feet, then so be it. No village would suffer for showing them kindness. Gendry clashed with one of the soldiers, and while he wasn't weak, he wasn't as strong as he used to be. The soldier was fast and was wearing armor, which was a luxury that Gendry didn't have. He managed to duck out of stab that would have gutted him, but the sword came back faster than he could block. The pain across his face was unlike anything he had ever experienced, and his vision immediately went red. He heard each of his siblings cry out in pain, and rage took over.

Gendry could hardly see through the blood, but he managed to slice the throat of the soldier he was fighting so deep he nearly beheaded the man. He turned and killed the man who was about to slice Mya open. Her eye was freely bleeding and hardly looked like an eye anymore. Gendry turned to see Edric fighting one-handed as there was a deep cut in his shoulder. He killed his soldier just as Bella stabbed the one that was trying to hurt her through the eye. She was holding a hand to her head over her ear. They were all hurt and bleeding, but the soldiers were dead, and no one would hurt the village. Weneya walked up to them and placed a hand on Gendry's cheek.

"You were going to die to protect us. For that, we owe you a debt we can never repay," she said. "Now, you've all gone and hurt yourselves again. Inside and let's see how bad everything is."

+++

It turned out that things were rather bad for them. It didn't take long for Weneya to declare that these injuries were not one's that could ever fully heal. Mya explained that she took a pommel of a sword to her right eye. The eye was gone, there wasn't anything left, and there wasn't any way to heal it. One of the old men from the village made her an eye made of glass that she could use, but that was the most they could do. Bella lost her left ear, and with that, she also lost some of her hearing. It was something that could adapt to someday, but Bella always prided herself as someone who could listen and hear more than what people were saying. She tried to remain strong, but Gendry could tell she was hurting. Edric took a sword to his left arm, and Weneya informed him that while he wouldn't lose it, he wouldn't be able to fully use the limb either. Edric took that particularly hard now that he had lost his right foot and now some of his left arm.

Gendry didn't lose any body parts, and he was very lucky that the cut across his face didn't take an eye or his nose but was a terribly large scar that started on his forehead, went across the bridge of his nose, and down nearly to his mouth. In terms of injuries, Gendry knew he was the lucky one compared to his siblings. They took care of each other as they once again began to heal. Gendry hated that he had let himself get complacent because it was only a matter of time before the Second Sons came to this village searching for them again. He thought about whether or not they would be better off running, but he looked out at the sea. They had no ship and no idea what was east of Essos. All they could do was live and heal just as before.

Gendry closed his eyes and prayed to gods that he didn't believe in for just a little peace.

+++

Arya groaned as she slowly managed to open her eyes. The first thing she noticed was that despite the room she was in being rather dark, the light hurt her eyes. The second was that her head was killing her and that her body felt like a bruise. Arya managed to sit herself up and found herself in her room. The door opened, and Asha walked in with some food and a drink.

"I was wondering if we lost you little wolf," Asha said, and Arya winced. Her voice was very loud, even though she was speaking normally.

"What happened?" Arya asked after she drank some water.

"We got through the storm. You lost your footing and hit the ground pretty hard. There was some damage to the ships, and we lost a few men but not nearly as bad as it could have been," Asha explained. "Get some rest, and when you can look at the light without wincing, you can come out of your room. I'll be coming by to check on you later." Arya nodded and fell back into her bed. She thought about what her siblings said about her getting lost at sea and that if she was with any other captain, they might not have made it through. Arya closed her eyes and tried to get more rest.

She was able to leave her room the next day, and Arya walked out onto the deck. The sun was shining, and while it was a little bright, it wasn't anything that she couldn't handle. Arya spent the rest of the day and for the next moon or so working on the ship. There were a few more storms but nothing like the one they passed through. The sun was high and hot, two moons into their journey when Arya walked out onto the deck after getting some food. The water was so calm it almost looked like a pond or a lake. She liked it until she looked at Asha, who was frowning.

"What is it?" Arya asked.

"These calm waters," Asha said. "The sea is chaos and terrifying and beautiful, but she is rarely calm. Something isn't right." Asha walked away to talk to the other crew members and signal the second ship that something wasn't right. Arya didn't know if she agreed, she thought the water was nice, and she walked to the railing and looked over. It was too dark to see anything, but she wondered what was down there. The sea was dangerous, Arya realized just how unprepared she was for all of this in the first storm, and she needed to respect it. She blinked, and for a moment, she thought she saw something beneath the water, something big. The instincts that had saved her life on more than one occasion told her to take a step back, and she did. Arya was about to call out to Asha to say what she saw when something slammed into the ship hard enough to knock Arya to her hands and knees.

Asha called out orders, and everyone sprung into action. Whatever was in the water hadn't surfaced yet, but Arya didn't know what it could possibly be. She had Needle on her, but Arya didn't know how much use the sword would be against a sea monster. Something that looked all too familiar emerged just off the side of the ship, and Arya froze as she heard Asha swearing loudly behind her.

"A Kraken attacks a Greyjoy," she spat out, and it hit the ship again. One of the tentacles emerged from the water and reached out toward the men on the ship. Arya slashed at it, but the wounds hardly seemed to be making a dent. The tentacle wrapped around one of the men with a line around his waist. It began to pull him back toward the water while he was screaming and struggling. Arya tried to grab the line, tried to help him, but the moment she tried to wrap the line around her hand for better leverage, the Kraken yanked the man back with extreme force. Arya felt something in her hand snap, and she blinked down at her left hand; she was missing the last three fingers. They were just gone, snapped off by the rope and the sheer strength of the Kraken.

The pain took a moment to catch up to her, but the hit was like getting thrown from a horse. It knocked the wind out of her, but there wasn't time to try and deal with the wounds. Arya reached into her pocket and pulled out the bandages that she kept on her at all times. She wrapped her hand the best she could, tried to ignore the blood soaking the cloth, and tried to fight off the Kraken. Nothing seemed to be helping, and the beast kept knocking people into the water, and they didn't come back up. Arya felt a little dizzy, and she knew she was losing blood. Arya took a crossbow that she found on the deck and positioned herself just overlooking the rail into the water. The Kraken was in there, and she just needed an opportunity to get it. She could still pull the trigger on a crossbow with two fingers.

The body of the massive beast emerged from the water, and she stared into one massive eye. Arya didn't hesitate as she fired the crossbow, and the bolt hit the Kraken. There was a terrible screaming sound as the tentacles began to retreat back into the water. Everything went silent as they all waited to see if the Kraken would return. A minute went by, then another, and Asha called for everyone to remain on alert. She looked furious as she stomped over to Arya.

"A Kraken attacking a Greyjoy. That shit pisses me right the fuck off," Asha snapped, and she looked down at Arya's bloody hand. "Did you wrap a rope around your hand?"

"Yeah," Arya whispered, and she winced painfully. Asha called for the healer and slowly unwrapped the wound. There was no denying that her fingers were gone, and there wasn't going to be any getting them back; they were lost to the sea. "I've seen this injury from green sailors, and I should have told you not to do this. The healer will be able to treat you, and that brother and sister of yours are going to string me up for maiming you."

"They wouldn't," Arya insisted. "I made a stupid mistake, and I paid for it." The healer walked up to her, and he let Arya lean on him as he took her back to her room to get stitched up. When she slept that night, she swore she could still feel her three missing fingers.

+++

Two moons at sea turned into three, and there was still no sign of land, and now the third moon was starting to come to a close. They had begun rationing the supplies, and Arya thought she remembered what it was like to be hungry and thirsty all the time, but the sea air seemed to suck everything out of her. She was leaning heavily against the railing, wondering if starving to death was going to be the way she died, when she heard something that sounded like a bird. Arya blinked and wondered if she had started hearing things, but then she heard it again. She looked up and there as a gull flying in the air, and her heart skipped a beat.

"Asha!" Arya called out. "There's a gull!" Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at where she was pointing. There was a brief moment of silence before everyone started to cheer. A gull wouldn't stray too far from land, and if there was a gull, that meant that land couldn't be that far away. They had found what was west of Westeros and Arya just hoped that Asha's predictions were correct. She hoped that they would find the east side of Essos, and maybe her missing her husband.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Arya spent the rest of the day staring at the horizon line and just waiting for land to appear. The gull was proof that there was land out there, they had almost found land, and she just prayed to Old Gods, the Seven, Drowned God, to all of them that Asha was right and the world is round. She prayed that they weren't really discovering new land at all but just the eastside of Essos because while new land would be amazing, Arya really just wanted to see Gendry again. It had been so long since she had seen him, it was coming up on a year, and she didn't know what to do with herself. She wondered if they were going to be different people or if they were even going to like each other still. She wondered about what he went through and if he was different. She was petrified that they would find the Baratheon's and Gendry would have someone new in his life. He was dead to the world; he could start over, which made her a little sick to think about something like that.

The first time the horizon changed and land appeared, everyone on the ship cheered. They were hungry, thirsty, and wanted to be on dry land for some amount of time. Arya thought about kissing the beach when they finally landed. She knew they would have to sail back someday but right now, she was glad to see solid land again. As they got closer, Arya could see what looked like a small fishing village. They didn't know if there were any major port towns, but a port town isn't where Gendry would hide. He would pick somewhere small, like a village like that, to hide in. Arya raced up to Asha and pointed to the small village on the horizon line.

"We need to go there," she said. "I know Gendry, and he wouldn't hide in a big port town. Port towns tend to have people loyal to rulers while tiny villages like that one look after their town. The Baratheon's are wanted, and they would need to go somewhere where the people that were around them wouldn't want to turn them in."

"Are you sure?" Asha asked, and Arya nodded. " All right, let's go ashore," Asha called out to her men, and they dropped the anchor some distance from the shoreline. A few of the older sailors who didn't care about seeing dry land stayed behind with the ships, but most of them got into the small rowboats to go onto land. They weren't sure if this was Essos yet, and Asha flew up a white flag for peace just in case. No one tried to put arrows through their eyes, and a small group of people gathered at the beach to see them. Arya jumped off of the boat and nearly cried at the feeling of the land beneath her feet. Asha held up hands in surrender and didn't go for her weapons.

"My name is Lady Asha Greyjoy of the Iron Isles, and we have traveled west from Westeros," she said. "Please, tell us where we are."

"You on the far side of Essos," one of the men replied after the people murmured to themselves. There was a beat of silence, and Asha burst into tears. Arya couldn't believe it; the world was round, and they just proved it. The people looked surprised by the sudden tears, and Arya decided it was time to try and get this under control. Most of the men were staying in the boats so they wouldn't look threatening to the locals.

"It's been a very long journey, and we aren't here to pillage or do anything else. We're looking for some people, and I was hoping you could tell me if you've seen them," Arya explained. "They are four siblings, all with black hair and blue eyes, two boys and two girls. The boys are the younger siblings. One of the men is a blacksmith by trade and might have used those skills to try and earn a place here."

"We know the people you're speaking of," an older man said. "The Second Sons were here looking for them a moon or so ago. We haven't seen them." Arya didn't know if this man was lying or not; he could think that Arya and Asha meant to do them harm, and could be protecting them.

"The older brother, he's my husband, the love of my life, and I haven't seen him in a very long time," Arya said. "I assure you, the last thing we mean them is harm. I want to bring them home." The people of the village all exchanged looks, and the old man looked back at Arya.

"I'm sorry, but we haven't seen them," he said, and he sounded definitive about it. Asha seemed to have gotten herself under control now and was asking to talk to the village elder, but Arya wasn't really listening. They found Essos, and they even found a place where Gendry and his siblings could be hiding, but they weren't here. Whatever else was being said mattered little to her at that moment, and this time it was Arya's turn to breakdown and cry. She couldn't think of what else to do.

Several hours later, Asha had traded with the village and managed to secure them a place to stay for a sennight while everyone recovered and got some food in their bellies. Arya felt better than she had in weeks physically, but she couldn't get rid of the pit in her stomach. She went out to the beach to be alone, because she hadn't really been alone in a place that wasn't her cabin in months, and she was enjoying that time alone when Asha joined her.

"I spoke to the village elders, and they told me there are a good amount of villages along the coastline where Gendry and the others could be hiding. Just because we didn't get this one right doesn't mean they aren't here," Asha said. Arya didn't say anything because she didn't know what else she was supposed to say. When Asha put an arm around her shoulders into an awkward hug, Arya leaned into the warmth and tried to settle her mind and calm her nerves. They checked one village, and she would check them all if she had to.

+++

Gendry didn't get a good look at his own face until a good moon after the attack that nearly took their lives. He paused when he saw his reflection because he didn't quite know what to do with it. The scar was large and healing about as well as possible and went across his entire face. All of the muscles worked still, and he could still smile and talk properly, but he looked so different. It was like looking into the face of a stranger, and then Gendry had a moment when he realized that this was a stranger to the man he used to know. He was trying not to get overwhelmed by the mere idea that he didn't know himself anymore, but he also knew exactly who he needed to go talk to to get all of this sorted.

Mya was always the rock of their family, and she had remained the rock throughout their journey across Essos. She didn't give up and kept pushing them all to keep walking when all they wanted to do was lie down and die. When Edric lost his foot, she was the one who told him that he could rule without a foot; he was the same person that a limb didn't matter. She held his hand through the pain of a limb that didn't exist anymore. When Bella finally broke down and told them about Daario putting his hands all over her and how she had to pretend that kissing him didn't make her sick, Mya was the one who listened and held her. She was the one who convinced Weneya to let them keep their cottage. So if there was anyone Gendry needed to go to, it was Mya.

She tended to wear a cloth over the spot where her eye used to be, and Bella spent some time doing embroidery and dyeing the cloths to make them look prettier. Mya didn't seem to think that was necessary, but Bella insisted. Mya was nearby, they were all never far apart from one another, and she must have seen something in Gendry's face the moment she saw him.

"Edric, Bella, we're going to step right over there for a moment," Mya said, and she guided him just far enough away that Bella and Edric couldn't hear but close enough that they could all see each other. "What's wrong, little brother? You look like you're about to be sick."

"I saw my face," Gendry said as they sat down. "I hadn't seen it since the attack."

"It's pretty bad right now, but it's healing the same way my eye won't always look as bad as it does right now. The same way Bella's ear won't look as bad or that Edric will gain more feeling in his arm as it heals," Mya explained. "But I understand, I think, what you mean."

"I didn't recognize myself," Gendry whispered.

"I didn't either, and I don't think any of us do anymore," Mya replied, and she sounded very sad. Gendry suddenly wished he wasn't here because he was causing his sister pain with his own problems, and that was the last thing he wanted. "When you and Arya came to collect me, I thought things couldn't get any stranger, and then more and more things kept happening. You got Dany to legitimize us, and suddenly I was helping my sister and brother run an entire castle. I was settling into that life; I felt like I could be Lady Mya Baratheon and have that mean something. Then all of this happened."

"I feel the same way," Gendry replied as he picked at a loose thread on his pants. "I was just feeling like I had a place in Winterfell even if half of the North hated me. I felt like Arya, and I were going to have our chance to really settle down and just be together in the way I always wanted us to be. Yet here I am, half a world away, and I feel guilty when I'm not thinking about her. Ser Gendry Stark would have spent every waking hour thinking of his wife, Princess Arya Stark, but it hurts too much to think about her and everything I left behind. I would rather think about anything else, and I'm worried I'm going to forget her."

"Someday," Mya said as she reached forward and took Gendry's hand into her own, "we're going to be able to look back at those memories and think of them fondly. Right now, we can't, and protecting ourselves from that pain doesn't make us bad people, Gendry. You aren't a bad person for not wanting to think about something that hurts you even if that something is the woman you love." Gendry squeezed her hand, and they sat together, looking out at the ocean and the rest of the village for a long time. Their wounds were healing, but there was something else weighing on Gendry's mind.

"The Second Sons might send more soldiers to look for us. We killed their leader, and they want blood for that. They want to see Bella hanged, and they want to see the rest of us in chains. The longer we stay, the more likely it is that they'll come back and we might not get as lucky next time," he said. "We got lucky this time. That was a small group that was tired and probably hungry, and that's why we were able to escape with our lives. This is how we all ended up after a fight with just four of them, and maybe we'll be stronger and better when they get here; we were weak and still healing the last time, but might not be fast enough." Mya was silent for a long time as they both looked out at the ocean.

"Do you think we should leave?" she asked, and Gendry just shrugged because he really didn't know the answer to that question. The truth was neither of them had any idea what they were doing right now. They were lucky that the village and Weneya had taken them in so kindly. They were lucky how patient everyone here was while they were healing and useless. Gendry didn't think they would get this lucky again, which was all the more reason he wanted to run as far away as possible. Them being here was dangerous, and the idea of getting innocent people killed just for taking them made him sick.

"I don't know where we'd go," he said. "The ocean is that way, and I don't think we can go into that in the small ships they have here. We don't know where we would even go if we went out there. We could go north or south to another village, but who knows if they would take us in."

"We could try to go west again, but if the Second Sons find us," Mya said and sighed heavily. They didn't have any options besides hoping that the Second Sons wouldn't come looking for them for a long time. Maybe by then, he could be strong again, and Mya and Bella could be better fighters. Right now, they just worked on instinct, and it had saved their lives, but they were Baratheon's; they could fight if they learned, and that was the only thing he could consider. Maybe by then, they could be the ones defending this little village. Gendry didn't know when he started thinking of this place in the long term, but it was all they had.

They sat together for a long time until Edric and Bella made their way over. Edric swore loudly as he managed to sit down next to Mya and fell directly on his ass because he still wasn't used to walking around without a foot. Bella hugged Gendry around the shoulders and put her chin on the top of his head in a way that she knew was going to hurt. He managed to get her to move away, and they all sat together until Weneya came and found them.

The village all ate together every night, and this night was a good one. The fishing season was going well, so they were going to have enough food for winter. The supplies they needed they were getting from other villages. The clothing that Bella made and mended for everyone was holding sturdy. Mya helped Weneya keep track of the supplies. Gendry did as much manual labor as possible and even a little woodcarving. Edric was teaching the men how to fight even though his arm was still in a sling. Gendry found himself smiling and laughing for the first time in a long time. He thought that maybe the world didn't seem as bleak. Perhaps they had a chance to be happy here if the world would give them half a chance.

Gendry thought they deserved that chance.

+++

A sennight later, Gendry was still half-asleep in bed with Mya and Edric up and around while Bella was groaning about the sun coming in when there was a commotion outside. Gendry was immediately alert and did some math in his head. It could be the Second Sons again, there could have been more of them close by, and this time they weren't asking anyone if they were here. They could be killing people. All four of them sprang into action. Edric and Gendry pulled on their soft pants and large tunics while Bella and Mya pulled on the wide, dark free-flowing skirts they wore. They tied the weapons around their waists and ran outside. Gendry didn't see anyone tearing through the village and raising hell.

"Oh gods," Mya whispered, and Gendry followed her line of sight out to the ocean where two large ships were approaching. They were still too far away to see what colors they were flying, but Gendry didn't want to know. Someone had sold them into slavery, and they didn't know who had helped with a plot like that. They could be ships coming from Meereen, and this was how they were going to search from now on.

"Here's what we're going to do," Edric said in a low voice. "Mya, Bella, go to Weneya and make sure everyone in the village is away from the beach. We don't want the villagers anywhere near this place." His sisters nodded and took off. "Gendry, stay with me for now, but we're not running away from all of this. They don't get through to hurt the village while we're still alive."

"Not one of them gets through," Gendry agreed, and he suddenly remembered the last time he stood against an impossible foe and declared that not one of them would get through. The ships were getting closer, so there was no doubt that they were coming to the village. Gendry and Edric made their way down to the beach and waited as Bella and Mya joined them.

"Weneya called us idiots but said that they would stay back until we were dead on the sand," Mya said.

"She really emphasized the idiots part," Bella said. The four of them stood in a line and watched as the ships got closer. The sigil on the sails once would have inspired relief in him, but now it didn't.

"House Greyjoy," Gendry said.

"We don't know who was involved in the plot to kill us. Getting across the Narrow Sea requires someone who knows the sea. They could be involved," Edric said.

"They also could be just here to reeve the entire village," Mya said. "They are a long ways from home, which means they might not be loyal to Yara and her decree not to reeve and rape anymore. They could easily be here to do that."

"Over our dead bodies," Edric snapped. The ships eventually stopped in the bay, and Gendry watched as a small boat from one of the ships was lowered into the water and began to make its way toward the shore. Gendry raised his sword and watched his siblings do the same. He didn't particularly want to die on a beach like this, but he would die on his feet if he had to. This was the only thing that mattered. The boat pulled up to the shore, and a familiar face climbed out. Gendry narrowed his eyes as Asha Greyjoy began to approach them with a look of wonder on her face.

"Stay back!" Edric warned, and Asha froze as she slowly put her hands up in surrender. "These people have nothing and have done nothing wrong. You will not harm them in the name of harming us, and you will not reeve this place for personal gain. We will die before we let any of you through, and it would be wise not to test our patience." Gendry didn't know what she was going to say next, what they were going to do next when someone moved from behind Asha, and it felt like someone took his warhammer to his chest.

"Arya?" Gendry whispered.

+++

It took a moment for Arya to recognize them when they pulled onto the shore. They had seen the four people standing on the beach with weapons in their hands, which wasn't the welcome they received from anyone else. Arya was the last one off of the boat and behind all of the men, by Asha's decree to keep her from getting killed, when a familiar voice called out for them to stop. Arya felt her blood run cold because she knew that voice; it was a little rougher than usual, but it was still his. Arya pushed her way toward the front of the crowd to see the four people she never thought she would see again.

They looked like they had been through hell. Edric was missing a foot, and his arm was in a sling, but he still held that sword like he intended to cut all of them in half. Bella's hair blew in the sea breeze, and Arya could see that she was missing an ear. Mya had a colorful piece of cloth tied over one of her eyes, and both women were holding daggers like they intended to use them. Arya's eyes found Gendry, and she gasped; there was a terrible scar running the length of his entire face that looked like it was still healing. All four of them were much thinner, like they hadn't eaten well in a long time and baring their teeth. They looked almost feral. When Gendry's eyes fell on her, he suddenly looked like someone just hit him.

"Arya?" he whispered.

"Gendry," Arya managed to say before she was running. Gendry dropped the sword he was holding, and they met in the middle. The hug was almost brutal and painful with how tightly they were holding onto each other, but Arya couldn't think of any way she could let him go. They both collapsed to their knees as if they were being held up by string that was suddenly cut. He was alive, he was really alive, and he was in her arms again. Arya pulled back far enough to look into his beautiful blue eyes and pressed their foreheads together. They were kneeling in the sand, holding each other, and Arya could feel the tears pouring from her eyes, and Gendry, her beautiful and brave husband who rarely let anyone see him cry, was sobbing right there with her as they stared at each other.

He was alive, he was here, and he was finally in her arms again.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Arya didn't want to let Gendry go, but she realized that while they were so wrapped up in each other, everyone around them was still very tense. Asha still looked uneasy as she looked at Edric, Mya, and Bella, and all three of them did not put their weapons down. There was steel in them that Arya hadn't ever seen before, and she could only imagine what could have molded them into the people standing before her.

"Gendry," Edric said, and he tensed in her arms. For half a moment, she thought he was about to step away from her, and Arya didn't know if she could handle that. "Lady Greyjoy, I want to know; did you or your kin have anything to do with taking us from Storm's End?"

"No, my lord," Asha replied without hesitation. "I'm here because I met Ser Gendry and Princess Arya, and I wanted to help them. I'm also here because I wanted to sail across the ocean and see if the world is round. We came from the west side of Westeros to get here, but we had nothing to do with your kidnapping. Queen Yara mourned for you all." Edric nodded as he looked at Asha, and then he glanced at Arya. His eyes were cold, and she could see what he was thinking and what he didn't want to say out loud. Her first reaction was anger at how he could ever think such a thing about her, but then she looked at how his arm didn't appear to be working properly, at how he was missing a foot. At the way, both Mya and Bella held weapons like they knew how to take the lives of men and the wounds that were clearly still healing.

"I swear to you, no one in the North had anything to do with this. We also mourned you; I mourned you all," Arya said as she framed Gendry's face with her hands. The scar was going to take some getting used to, and there was something about him that was profoundly different, but the eyes were the same. Gendry glanced over his shoulder and nodded. The Baratheon's slowly lowered their weapons, and everyone seemed to relax.

"I suppose we need to all catch each other up on what exactly has been happening," Edric said. "This village is small but welcoming, and we can talk up there." Arya's legs shook a little as she stood up, and Gendry was just as bad. He still took her hand and threaded their fingers together, but he also walked fast enough that he was never far from his siblings. The village did greet them, and an elderly woman named Weneya seemed to relax the Baratheon's just by being in their presence.

"Oh good, you're not dead, that's a relief. I can assume that these people aren't here to hurt us?" Weneya asked.

"No, they're friends who were looking for us," Gendry said, and Weneya looked at their entwined hands. "Weneya, this is my wife, Princes Arya of House Stark. Arya, this Weneya. Her and this village have nursed us back from the brink of death twice and have let us stay here despite the danger it puts all of them in." Arya blinked and realized that this old woman was likely the only reason that Gendry and the others were alive. She released his hand and fell to her knees in front of Weneya.

"Thank you," Arya whispered, but the words weren't going to be enough. Weneya seemed to understand, waved all of their formalities off, and pulled them to the center of the village. She gave them a large table to sit down and talk, so it was time to hear what exactly everyone went through.

The Baratheon's took turns telling the story, and they seemed to finish each other's sentences in a way Arya hadn't ever seen before. They could communicate with a glance now, and no one ever tried to suggest they be out of each other's sight. They spoke of waking up in a boat and being taken to Meereen by a man named Daario. They spoke of how Daario thought that he was honoring Daenerys by selling the children of the men that ruined her life into slavery. Bella's hands trembled when she explained what she had to do to get Daario to trust her alone with him long enough to kill him. Edric explained how he got wounded as they were running, and the wounds got infected, and they had to remove his foot to save his life. Bella and Mya spoke to killing men that tried to take them in their sleep. Gendry spoke of the pain he was in being forced to carry Edric everywhere and how much it hurt. They collapsed into this village, and Weneya healed them only for the Second Sons to find them and hurt them once again, which explained their current wounds.

The way they spoke of all of this made Arya feel sick to her stomach. The absolute hell that they went through and what they had to do to survive? She didn't blame them for being so wary of them arriving on the shores of Essos. Arya took Gendry's hand into hers and held on to try and give him some comfort, but all four of them looked rather miserable.

"At least tell me that Ser Davos has been doing well at Storm's End and keeping everyone safe," Edric said, and Arya felt her heart sink. Of course, Edric would worry about Storm's End and the smallfolk, it was what he and his sisters did, and now she had to tell him that it wasn't going well.

"A Lord Connington showed up when your castle maester found your will that said Storm's End should go to him," Arya said carefully, and she watched as Edric clenched his fist. Mya reached forward and put her hand on his arm, and he relaxed immediately.

"That is not Edric's will," she said. "I was there when he wrote it, both of us were, and he left Storm's End to me, then Bella, then Ser Davos and his family. We would never leave it to Connington."

"He's one of the Houses that was threatening an uprising against us," Bella added. "He also told us that we should lock Gendry in the dungeons after that trial." Arya went on to explain everything that she knew but left out the part about killing the maester. She could feel Gendry's eyes on her, and he seemed to know that she was lying or omitting something. Weneya brought them some food, and they all got to eat and drink to their fill. Asha and Weneya went off to talk about what kind of work her people could do to earn their place. Arya sat back and watched the four Baratheon's have a completely wordless conversation.

"Let me show you our home," Gendry said. Arya smiled, but she felt something in her heart crack at the word 'home.' She expected Mya, Bella, and Edric to stay behind, but they followed close behind until they got to a small hut. The other three Baratheon's seemed to find something to do nearby, and this wasn't exactly privacy, but it was the first moment she had alone with Gendry. The hut was small with four beds pushed close together in the corner, taking up most of the single room, a hearth to keep them warm, a small trunk of clothes, and that was about it. "It's not much, but it's all we have."

"It was smart to push the beds together so you would have more room," Arya said, and for some reason, Gendry stiffened. He released her hand and sat down on the bed closest to the door. It had been almost a year since they were in the same room, and Arya didn't know what to think. She made sure to telegraph her movements as she sat down and reached forward to touch the scar on his face.

"It's bad," Gendry whispered, and Arya shook her head. She reached down and unwrapped her hand to show him the three missing fingers from the Kraken attack. He touched the stumps gently and somehow looked even more devastated. "I got you maimed so you could come looking for me."

"I would lose more than a few fingers to find you. You have to know that," Arya said as she took his hand into hers. "When you come back to the North, and you're home again, you'll be safe."

"Arya," Gendry said as he reached forward and ran his thumb along her cheekbone. "The reason why the beds are pushed together is because the mere idea of being away from my brother and sisters makes me feel sick. Just being inside this hut where I can't see them is incredibly difficult." He looked down at their hands. "It's like when we were together before the Brotherhood. We couldn't be apart from each other, and it took a long time before we were able to be away from each other for extended amounts of time. The Riverlands were bad, Arya, but this was so much worse. They were all I had to lean on; to trust, they're all I've had since the day of the trial. I can't be away from them." Arya felt another crack in her heart as she tried to take in his words. She remembered how she felt in those early days when all they had was each other and how him being away to hunt for even a little while set her on edge. She couldn't imagine going through that but worse, but she still couldn't process the words she was hearing.

"Are you saying you don't want to come home?" Arya whispered. Gendry visibly hesitated, which was answer enough for her at that moment. She thought about releasing his hand and walking away. She thought about screaming at him and demanding how he could possibly think she'd be okay with any of this. None of that was going to help; while she was processing his death and trying to find revenge, Gendry was fighting for his life. Arya knew that that sort of thing changed people because it changed her all of those years ago. To go through again and make it even worse? She knew, on a logical level, that the person coming out on the other side wouldn't be the same. That didn't make it hurt any less. "You're all I thought about the entire time we've been separated."

"I tried not to think about you once we were in Essos," Gendry confessed, and Arya had to close her eyes to keep the tears from falling. "I didn't want to stop thinking of you, but it hurt too much knowing you were over there, and you could someday move on. That someone else might be lucky enough to claim your heart again once you moved on from me. I wanted you to be happy."

"I could never move on from you--"

"You don't know that, Arya," Gendry interrupted. "How long did you think I was dead for? A couple of moon turns? That isn't long enough to grieve and move on but a couple of years? A decade?" He shook his head and looked down at her hand. He touched the wedding band that he made for her all of those years ago. "You deserve better than someone who would try to forget you." She could see where this spiral was going, and she refused to let it happen. Arya leaned forward, slowly enough that Gendry could stop her if he wanted to, and silenced his doubt with a kiss. It was their first one since the trial, and despite how different they both were, it still took her breath away. When Gendry released her hand to put his on her hip so they could move a little closer to each other, her heart skipped a beat. When she reached forward to thread, what fingers she had left through his hair it made her feel weak in the knees.

Arya broke the kiss and stayed close to him, so they were only a hair's breadth away from each, and she could feel him breathing.

"You have always and will always deserve me," Arya said as she tried to get through that thick head of his. "You beautiful, kind, strong, fucking irritating man, you have always deserved me, and I decide who is and is not worthy of me. I know you respect me enough to honor my own decisions. And I will choose you every single time, Gendry Stark, and there is not a realm of reality where I wouldn't choose you."

"Arya," Gendry whispered as he closed his eyes. "I'm not sure who I am anymore. I see my reflection, and I see a stranger."

"Then we'll get to know this new Gendry together," Arya said. "I love you, and I will always love you. I would do anything for you." They both shifted until they were lying on Gendry's small bed, pressed together, and facing each other. Arya reached forward and touched the scar again as she thought about who could be responsible for all of this. "I want you to know that the maester of Storm's End was involved in what happened to you. He was the one who faked the bodies, so everyone thought you were dead." Arya hesitated because she hadn't really told anyone this aside from Asha. "I killed him because of what he did to you and your siblings." Gendry pulled one of her hands forward and kissed the knuckles.

"I'm sorry that you have more blood on your hands," he said. Arya's immediate reaction was to tell him that she wasn't sorry, not even a little, but this thing between them felt so fragile. For as long as she'd known Gendry, everything about the two of them always felt solid, but it felt like sand slipping through her fingers, and she was powerless to stop it. So she said nothing and pressed her forehead against his. They were silent as they stayed close together, and the moment was lovely.

"Gendry, if you're fucking on our shared sleeping place, I am going to string you up," Bella called out, and the moment was broken. Gendry smiled for the first time since she had seen him, and he laughed softly. The smile was barely there, and the laugh sounded like it was punched out of him, but he was the most beautiful thing that she had ever seen.

+++

The next couple of days were strange, and Arya didn't quite know what to do with them. The Baratheon's agreed to let her stay with them as long as no one had sex, which was fair. She didn't think her and Gendry were ready to have sex again anyway. They did share his bed, and Gendry wrapped his arms around her as they slept back to front. It reminded her home in the best possible way and waking up to Gendry breathing on the back of her neck reminded her of everything they have lost.

The village was nice, and Arya was thankful that they managed to find such a great place to stay. Weneya clearly adored all four of them, which wasn't that surprising; all four of the Baratheon's were easy to love. She got proper hugs from all three of them, which was nice. They were all self-conscious about their various wounds, but they were also healing. Arya could see that the scars would remain, but they wouldn't be as bad as everyone thought. She also noticed exactly what Gendry meant about them never being far from one another. They all had their work to do, but if any of them looked up at any given time, they would see each other. Arya smiled and tried her best to understand, but it was hard.

What was even harder was noticing that while Gendry was burdened by his wounds and what he went through, the tension in his shoulders whenever they were around the nobility was gone. He seemed more secure in his position here like he knew where he stood, and Arya didn't know how to deal with that. None of them had spoken about what they were going to do when Arya and Asha needed to leave. She wanted to assume the four siblings would come home with them, but as she watched how easily they all fit into this tiny village, maybe it wasn't the best choice. Maybe they were all better off here where the legacy of their father couldn't touch them, and they could just exist in a way they never could in Westeros.

The thought was keeping her up at night despite how good it felt to be in Gendry's arms. She couldn't stop thinking about how he moved around here and how he moved around in Winterfell. She didn't know how to stop herself from thinking that maybe he would be better off if he stayed here. He spoke about how he wanted her to move on if she thought he was dead and that he wanted her to be happy. She wanted his happiness, and Arya was beginning to doubt if Gendry's happiness was with her.

"Arya," a voice called out, and she saw Edric sitting in the shadow of one of the small trees around the village. He trained the men but seemed to tire quickly still. His wounds were the worst of all of them, and he was very much still healing. "Want to come sit with me?" he asked.

"Yeah, thanks, Edric," Arya replied as she joined him in the shade, and they both watched the other Baratheon siblings work in silence. "He seems lighter here."

"This is a good place," Edric said. "We were lucky this is where we collapsed." Arya held her breath a little because Mya told that part of the story, but Edric was awake when the three of them collapsed. "I thought they were dead when they fell. When we first got here. I couldn't wake them up, and I couldn't walk. I was pulling myself through the dirt and just screaming for someone, anyone, to come and help us. All I wanted was someone with kindness to come, and Weneya and her village came. They helped us, gave us somewhere to stay."

"They gave you a home," Arya said, but Edric immediately shook his head.

"The hut is nice enough, and it does what we need it to do considering that we don't like being away from each other, but this place isn't home. Our home is in Westeros, in Storm's End, helping the people who need it," Edric said, and he looked at her. "Gendry's home is always going to be with you." Arya didn't know what she was supposed to say to that, and she watched as Edric worked on picking up small rocks with his bad hand and doing his best to lift it. "We spoke last night, the four of us," Edric said, "and we'll be on the ship with you and Lady Asha when you leave to go back to Westeros. Someone stole something from me, and they hurt my sisters and my brother." He looked up, and Arya noticed an all too familiar glint in his eyes. She wasn't the only one who wanted revenge. "We cannot let that stand."

"No," Arya whispered and smiled at Edric. "No, we cannot."

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

If Gendry was well and truly honest with himself, he did contemplate staying in the village, but that contemplation only lasted a moment or two. He couldn't leave Arya, he knew that, but he also knew that things weren't the same anymore. It had been almost a year, and he still felt like a stranger in his own skin. Ser Gendry Stark didn't even feel like a person he could ever be again, and he didn't know how to be the man that Arya fell in love with. She insisted that she loved him no matter what he had gone through, but that doesn't mean she meant it or that it would last long term. There was still a chance that she wouldn't want to deal with all of this and leave him.

He couldn't go down that rabbit hole, or he'd never come out. Gendry had the meeting with his siblings, and all four of them decided that they were going to leave together. It took a few days to get all of the supplies that the ship needed; apparently, they had traded at the other villages they checked and were fairly well stocked, but it still felt strange the day to leave. He said goodbye to all of the good people that helped care for him and his siblings when they were sick and healing when it could have cost them their lives. They waved him off like this wasn't something rare to find in the world. Weneya was waiting for them on the beach with Arya as they joined them by the rowboats. Arya smiled, squeezed Weneya's hand, and walked away to give them all some privacy.

He and his siblings had always lacked paternal figures, and Weneya seemed to read that in them right away. She was like the grandmother Gendry never got the chance to know, and it broke his heart a little to know that he wasn't going to see her again. Even if they came back to visit someday, Weneya was not long for this world. She took each of their hands, framed their faces, and pressed soft kisses to their foreheads. She whispered something only for each of them, and Gendry stood still as she did the same to him.

"You are a good man, Gendry, and that young woman adores you. Don't let the pain you suffered here ruin a good thing," Weneya said. Gendry nodded and didn't try to say anything because he was fairly sure he would start crying if he did. They gathered their meager possessions and climbed into the rowboats. Gendry noticed that he wasn't the only one looking back, but when Arya took his hand, he squeezed it. This was the right thing to do, even if it hurt like hell right now. He stood on the deck of Asha’s ship with his siblings, and they watched the shoreline vanish. Essos and all of the nightmares it brought, was finally behind them, and they were going home.

+++

Gendry enjoyed the time at sea. He liked the work and getting up at the same time every day. He liked the chaos of the water even though it was beautiful to watch. Arya told him about the storm they had to pass through, and he almost wanted to see waves that big. Almost but not enough to wish it on their journey. Arya had so much patience for him that he couldn't believe it. When he said that he couldn't sleep in her cabin because there wasn't enough room for all four of them, Arya shrugged and merely joined their weird little pile like it wasn't a big deal. Gendry wrapped his arms around her and held her close because right now, this is what felt right.

A month into their travels, he sat down with his siblings, and they talked. They all knew they didn't like to be that far away from each other, but there was a way to get around that. The ship was only so big, and as long as everyone stayed from places where they could fall overboard, they could only be so far away from each other. They all agreed to try and give each other a little more space the next day, which is how Gendry found himself sitting out alone on the deck until Arya found him. She glanced around, no doubt looking for his sisters or his brother, and then joined him.

"You managed to be apart from one another; that’s good," Arya said.

"The ship is only so big," Gendry replied, and he struggled to put into words exactly what he needed to tell her. He couldn't go to the North yet, but the mere idea of breaking her heart like that made Gendry want to fling himself into the ocean.

"You're not going back to the North when we get back to Westeros," Arya said, and Gendry blinked as he stared at her.

"I'm not?" he asked.

"No, and Edric and your sisters aren't going back to Storm's End either," Arya continued. "I thought about it, and I realized that we still don't know who did this to you. If you emerged, miraculously alive, they might not kidnap you. They could just kill all of you in your beds, so you need to stay somewhere secure and safe. Asha thinks that the Iron Isles are the best place to do that. I will go back to Westeros and figure out who did this to you so you can come home safely. It will take time, though, which means you'll have time to--" She cut herself off like she was having a hard time finding the right word, but Gendry knew the perfect one.

"--to heal." he finished.

"To heal," Arya said as she reached forward and took one of his hands into hers. "And to keep you safe. I already had to deal with losing you once, and it nearly killed me. I don't think I can survive losing you again, not when I could have kept you safe." They sat together in silence for a long time, and Gendry felt some of the pressure in his chest ease a little. It no longer felt like he was being crushed, but he also knew that this feeling might only be temporary. That it could be a matter of time before something else triggers a terrible reaction.

"I don't know how long it's going to take," Gendry said. "And you couldn't come to Storm's End with us because of the treaty. I don't want to be apart from you anymore."

"We'll figure it out," Arya said. "Right now, you need to focus on getting better. All four of you need to focus on getting better because you're all kind of a mess right now." Gendry laughed as Arya pulled him into her arms. They held each other until she coaxed him into lying down with his head in her lap. Gendry closed his eyes and let Arya run her fingers through his hair. He fell asleep and wished for no nightmares.

+++

The trip back to Westeros was not nearly as traumatic as the trip to Essos. Arya wasn't glad to see storm clouds on the horizon, and while the seas were rough, they weren't nearly as bad as the first time. She slept in the same room as Gendry and his siblings every night and tried to be as steady for them as possible. It was hard because Arya felt like she was falling apart. She was the one to tell Gendry that he needed time to heal on the Iron Isles but knowing that she was going to have to leave him again made Arya feel like someone was gutting her. She also knew that they couldn't risk someone trying to kill all four of them again, so they had to stay hidden and safe for now.

It was chaos when they arrived back on the Iron Isles, and Asha was frowning deeply. They had cloaks over the Baratheon's to keep their identities a secret, but Arya didn't like the way people were running around. They made their way up to Pyke Castle, and when the doors to the Great Hall opened, Yara was standing in the room looking like she hadn't slept in a week.

"Asha, you're timing is complete shit," Yara said as she walked over and hugged her cousin. "So, the world is round? You finally proved it?"

"Yeah, I'll have to go talk to the maesters at some point, but I brought back some familiar faces, too," Asha replied. Gendry pulled off the hood of his cloak, and Yara seemed to get paler and paler every time a Baratheon was revealed to be alive.

"This requires an explanation and a lot of wine," Yara said after a beat of silence. They all went up to her solar, and the Baratheon's gave an abridged version of what happened to them. Arya caught Yara up on what she knew as well and how they all ended up here. Yara stared at all of them for a moment.

"You're sure that will is fake? And it was that Connington prick?" Yara asked, and Edric nodded.

"I wouldn't leave Storm's End to him if he were the last House in Westeros," he said.

"Westeros isn't an option for the Iron Isles at the moment," Yara said as she set her jaw. "Someone attacked a village and made it look like the Ironborn did it. They killed every single man, woman, and child. When I made my treaty with Daenerys, it was under the condition that we do not reeve, and she said that has been broken. The problem is I cannot find a single Ironborn ship that could have done this. I don't know who did this, but it wasn't us, but they wanted it to look like us."

"Something isn't right," Arya said carefully. "Which is one of the reasons we want to ask you to let the Baratheon's stay here for a time. We don't know who gave them over to Daario or who had them killed. I don't want to risk their lives until we're sure it's safe."

"Gendry is family," Yara said with a wave of her hand. "Plus, it's always nice to have some pretty things around." Arya watched as all four siblings turned red at the exact same time, and it was really quite endearing. She reached over and took Gendry's hand into hers. "Arya, how do you feel about staying a little longer? We can send a raven to your siblings and let them know you're here so they won't worry. We can even add a code if you want to let them know this group is safe."

"As much as I'd love to tell them I'm alive, I don't want to risk a raven," Gendry said. Yara nodded as she sat back and rubbed her temples like she already had a headache.

"It's late, we should all get some sleep, and we can continue this lovely trip through hell tomorrow," Yara said. Arya stood up and quickly walked over to Yara to stop her from leaving.

"What room of yours has the biggest bed?" Arya whispered, and Yara began to smirk. "No, not for that, Gendry and his siblings. They went through a lot, Yara, and they can't sleep apart anymore. I know most rooms don't have multiple beds, so I thought if the bed was big enough, we could fit all four of them into one." Arya glanced over her shoulder at Gendry, who was watching the room like he wanted to flee, and none of his siblings looked much better. Yara looked at them as well, and she frowned.

"I once rescued two men who were stranded at sea for two moon turns on a tiny boat," Yara said softly. "They had the same look in their eyes, and they never left each other's sides again. I understand, little wolf, I'll make sure it's taken care of, and I will also make sure no one talks about it either." Arya smiled gratefully and walked back to join Gendry at the table. Yara had a few trusted servants bring in some food, and everyone ate like they were never going to eat again. Arya wrote a quick note to her family to let them know that she was safe in Westeros but had to stay on the Iron Isles for a little while. She gave it to the maester and insisted it go out right away. One of the chambermaids offered to escort them to their rooms, and the Baratheon's looked nervous. Arya took Gendry's hand and tried to pull him along.

"Trust me," she said. Gendry looked over his shoulder, and they all shrugged and followed the young woman through the castle and to the room. When Arya walked into the room, she thought that she hadn't ever seen a bigger bed in her life. It was almost twice the size of her featherbed in Winterfell, and this was good. This was big enough for all of them to fit fairly comfortably. She didn't need a lot of space; she planned on being in Gendry's arms.

"Arya, what is this?" Gendry asked, and he sounded a little breathless.

"I spoke to Yara, and I made sure we got the room with the biggest bed. Now the four of you don't have to be apart," Arya explained. Gendry stared at her with a look that she couldn't quite place, and she was about to ask if the room was all right or if she misread the situation or if he was okay when Gendry pulled her into a passionate kiss. It didn't last long, it never lasted long enough for Arya, but he pulled away and pressed his forehead to hers.

"Thank you," Gendry whispered. When he broke away from her, Arya found herself getting pulled into tight hugs by all of the Baratheon's, and she laughed. She felt lighter, and knowing that she made things a little easier for them was worth so much.

+++

For the next two weeks, Arya spent time with Gendry and his siblings. They all shared a bed still, but they were working on being away from each other for short periods of time. Edric's arm was still healing, but he could lift small objects with his hand. They let Gendry into a forge, and he crafted a proper metal foot for Edric. He came out of the forge covered in sweat, soot, burns, and grinning like this was the greatest thing ever. He took Arya into his arms and twirled her around as he said he was so glad that he didn't forget his training. They broke their fast in the room on the fourteenth day, and Yara called them to her solar. She was frowning deeply as she looked at the map on the wall, but she turned to them when they all joined her. Yara gestured for them to sit down, and she didn't look like she knew what to say.

"It doesn't make sense," Mya said, and everyone turned to look at her. She sat up a little straighter and looked them all in the eye. "We were targeted, we can all agree on that, but they didn't just take Bella, Edric, and myself. They took Gendry as well. There is only one way to make sure that he would be in Storm's End with the rest of us."

"Do you mean the trial?" Arya asked, and Mya nodded.

"House Connington was one of the accusers," Edric said, and Arya could hear how angry he sounded.

"Only one of them, though," Bella pointed out. "If it was just one house, Daenerys might not have had the trial, but it was multiple houses from not just the Stormlands but the Crownlands, the Vale, and the Riverlands. Our father stole some of Connington's lands; I can understand why he would hold a grudge against us, but what do those other houses have to gain by making it look like we're dead?"

"We should look at all of the accusing houses," Gendry said. "Let's write them down." It took a little while for all of them to remember the four main houses that seemed to be pushing for a trial; Houses Connington, Velayron, Redfort, and Braken.

"So look at these and tell me if anyone stands out besides Connington," Arya said. The four Baratheon's looked over the list, and Mya reached down to point to House Redfort.

"I lost my maidenhead to a knight from House Redfort. He promised to marry me until his parents found a different match," she said. "I thought I loved him, but that was a long time ago. I haven't thought about it since." Arya frowned as she looked over the list and tried to come up with something that could connect these houses to the Baratheon's, but the link to the Redfort was weak at best. It didn't seem like a good motive for murder to her, and even revenge didn't make any sense. Why would a married man be upset that the woman he scorned was gone? There was no connection to the other two houses. They all thought for a long time until Yara declared that she had a headache and wanted to do anything else.

Gendry took her hand into his as they walked out of the room and smiled softly to herself. It was such a small thing that meant so much to her. She wasn't really paying attention to where they were going, and before she knew it, they were in their room. Arya blinked and realized that not only were they in their room, but they were alone. She looked at Gendry to see if he realized what had happened.

"Gendry, what is this? Are we alone?" Arya asked.

"They're close, two chambers over, but I asked for some time alone with you. I wanted to have some alone time with you," Gendry said. Arya blinked and then nearly jumped into Gendry's arms. It still felt so natural to kiss him, and it was like everything else in the world seemed to vanish around them. However, he wasn't as strong as he used to be, and he could only hold her in his arms for so long. Gendry gently set her back down on her feet but stayed close. "I want to be with you," he whispered.

"I will always want you," Arya replied. They both began to undress each other as fast as humanly possible. Arya just wanted bare skin beneath her hands, and she couldn't wait to touch him again. The problem was they could hardly stop kissing each other for more than a minute, so it became very difficult to get naked. They both stumbled over to the obscenely large bed and laughed as she pulled him down on top of her. He was kissing along her neck when Arya realized something. "Gendry, we aren't the only ones who sleep in this bed."

"A chambermaid is going to come up and change the sheets," Gendry said as he sucked a bruise into the skin of her neck. Arya felt her entire body lighting up, and it almost reminded her of the first time they ever laid together. It felt just as new and intense as it did all of those years ago, and Arya loved it. Gendry kissed his way down her body, and Arya was unprepared when he put his mouth on her. She arched her back and realized that there were apparently some skills that a person could go a year without doing and never forget. Gendry still knew exactly where to touch her and where to put his mouth to make her see stars. It had been far too long since she had done this, and it took Gendry almost no time at all to get Arya to her peak. She clenched the sheets in her hands and cried out.

"I've missed that sound," Gendry said as he kissed her thigh and sucked another bruise into her skin. He sounded so much like the Gendry; she used to know that Arya had to close her eyes. There was a chance that he could slide back, something could happen to make him the frightened man that she found on the shores of Essos, but right now, it felt like old times, and she couldn't let her fears for the future ruin her present.

"Come up here," Arya insisted, and she pulled him up to kiss the breath from his lungs. She nibbled on his lower lip, and Gendry gasped against her mouth. He slowly pushed inside of her, and it really was like the first time all over again. She was still sensitive from her first peak, and that just made everything even more intense. The only time she looked away from Gendry's beautiful eyes was when they were kissing. Arya dug her nails into his skin as she felt another peak approaching, and she could feel that Gendry was close too. She couldn't remember if they had ever peaked at the same time before, and even if they had, Arya knew it wasn't this intense. They both cried out at almost the exact same time and held onto each other like a lifeline.

Gendry all but collapsed on the bed next to her as they both tried to catch their breath. Arya didn't remember ever being this winded after sex with her husband before.

"If this is how good it is when we don't have sex for a year, maybe we should skip out on it more often," Arya said without thinking. She was about to apologize when Gendry buried his face in her neck and started to laugh. The moment broke, and Arya reached up to run her hands through his hair. Gendry pulled back just enough that they were nose to nose and smiled softly at her. Arya leaned forward and pressed soft kisses down the scar on his face until she got to his lips. When they broke away, Gendry pressed their foreheads together.

"Thank you," he said softly.

"I assure you it was no hardship," Arya quipped, and Gendry smiled again. She would say anything to see him smile more.

"No, not the sex, though that was fantastic," Gendry said. He reached forward and placed a hand over her heart. "Thank you for your patience. You've been absolutely perfect in dealing with all of this bullshit that I'm dealing with. You've been sharing a bed with three other people, and you haven't said a word about it. You knew that I needed time before I was even able to say the words myself, and you are willing to wait for me. You are a remarkable woman, Arya Stark, and I'm so fortunate to have found you."

Gendry wasn't one for long romantic speeches, he usually let his deeds speak for him, but Arya could feel the tears gathering in her eyes. She was doing her best to be patient, but there were times that it did hurt, and the idea of going back to the North without him made a knot form in her stomach. However, Arya knew that telling Gendry all of this would just make him feel guilty that he wasn't well enough to come home with her yet. She needed Westeros to be safe for him first and foremost, but she also needed Gendry to come home when he was ready because if it was too soon, it could set him back.

"I promise that I'm trying my best," Arya said, which wasn't the whole truth, but it wasn't a lie either. Gendry didn't seem to catch on that she had more to say, and they laid in bed for a little while longer until Gendry started to get restless. They cleaned themselves up, got dressed, and walked down to meet the other Baratheon's nearby. The looks on their faces were enough to make both of them laugh, and Arya clenched Gendry's hand a little tighter.

+++

Arya knew it was almost time to go home, Asha was readying the ship so they could leave in two days, but she wasn't ready. She wasn't ever going to be ready to leave Gendry behind again but knowing that she was leaving him in a safe place did ease some of her anxiety about the whole thing. She was packing some of her things when a servant rushed in and said that Yara needed to see her right away. Arya walked up to Yara's solar and handed her a scroll with the seal of House Stark. She was eager to read the words from her family but what was written on the raven made Arya's heart sink.

"What is it?" Yara asked. "You look a little sick around the edges, little wolf."

"My cousin Robin is dead," Arya replied.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Sansa tried her best not to worry about Arya, but she couldn't help herself. From the moment the ship left the port, she wanted to scream at her sister to come home and not to go. Sansa didn't know if her heart could handle it if she didn't come back. Theon put his arm around her shoulder and held her close. She leaned into him, and he kissed her temple.

"You know what she lived through during the war," Theon whispered into her skin. "And you know how hard she fought to get home. She'll fight to come home again. You'll see."

"I wish I believed you," Sansa replied. They watched the ship for as long as they could but eventually, they needed to make their way back to Winterfell. Sansa climbed in the carriage with Theon, and the two of them sat side by side, hand in hand, as they rode home. It was nice, and the casual conversation between her, Theon, Jon, and Val made the politics of everything feel so far away. Sansa wanted to blame Arya for leaving them, but she wasn't sure if she could stay home if she thought there was even a chance that Theon was out there. She wasn't just looking to bring Gendry home, but all of the Baratheon's, and each of them were dear to her heart. Sansa couldn't remember the last time she felt so conflicted.

The weeks turned into months. Jojana started talking, and then she started walking, which meant she became the terror of the castle. Bran once joked that she was making up for the fact that he couldn't walk by walking and running as much as possible. Sansa rolled her eyes as she bounced Jojana on her hip and cooed at her. These were the moments when she thought about children and whether or not her and Theon would be ready to help a child someday.

Five months after Arya left, two strange ravens came to Winterfell, one right after the other. The first was from Daenerys saying that tensions with the Iron Isles were high and wasn't sure if they would be maintaining their treaty because Yara let some of the Ironborn reeve a city. Apparently, the entire town was destroyed, and every single person was killed. The next raven was from Yara, saying that no ship flying Ironborn colors were anywhere near that shore, and she didn't know what Daenerys was talking about. Sansa rubbed her temples as Jon and Val also read the letters.

"Who do we believe?" Val asked. "I feel like Yara has very little gain by letting the Ironborn reeve again and much more to lose."

"That's true," Jon said. "But what good does Daenerys have to lie about it? And why would she lie about it to me? None of this makes any sense."

"The letters from both of them are just a formality, in my opinion," Sansa said. "Our alliances with Daenerys and Yara aren't dependent on their alliances with each other. We don't have a say in any of it." It also meant that they couldn't choose a side when it came to providing aid, which Theon seemed very upset about. He was chewing on the tip of his thumb when Sansa returned to their rooms that night.

"Yara wouldn't let them reeve again; she just wouldn't," Theon said. "I stood there and watched her swear to Daenerys that we were done doing that under her rule, and that was not something Daenerys seemed keen to argue on. It was very clear for both parties that it had to end, and she ended it. No one has reeved since that alliance was formed, and that was before the Long Night. Why now?" Sansa walked over to him and removed his thumb from his mouth, and framed his face with her hands. She leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to his lips.

"It's strange to me as well, but we can't get involved even with our marriage," Sansa replied. "You are here at Winterfell, which means you are aligned with the North first and the Iron Isles second. Your countrymen saw to that."

"I know I shouldn't feel any loyalty to the people that rejected me as their prince, but Yara is there, and I almost lost her once. I don't think I could do it again," Theon whispered. "You know what would happen if Daenerys declared war on the Iron Isles." Sansa very much did, but she didn't want to think about it.

"No war yet," she replied. "So, let's focus on the here and now." They all did their best to focus on the here and now while also trying to figure out the connection between Lord Connington and Daario. Two weeks after the ravens that declared there was trouble with the alliance between the crown and the Iron Isles, another raven came. Sansa dreaded it, but when she looked, she was surprised to see the Arryn symbol. Robin might be her cousin, but they rarely wrote to each other. She opened the scroll and realized that this was not a letter from Robin but from Lord Royce with Robin's seal. Sansa read the words, then read them again, and raced through Winterfell as fast as her feet could carry her. She was late to supper, which meant everyone was in the same room, and everyone looked up when Sansa raced in.

"Sansa? What happened?" Jon said.

"It's our cousin, Robin; he's dead."

+++

Gendry understood why Arya needed to leave the day she found out Robin was dead, but that didn't mean he had to be happy about it. All four of them went down to the docks to see her off, and Gendry held onto her as long as he could. She promised that they would see each other again and he believed her. She already completed the impossible by proving the world was round just to find him. If Arya Stark says they will see each other again, then Gendry believes that they will see each other again. It still hurts to watch her go, and they stand on the docks, covered in cloaks to hide their hair and faces until the ship fades from sight.

Yara was a good host, and as she promised, no one mentioned the fact that the four of them shared a room. They were all working on trying to spend some time away from each other, but it still set Gendry's nerves on edge anytime they were far away from each other. Or even if he just couldn't see them. He told Arya they all needed time to heal, so it was time to finally heal as they all needed to come to terms with what happened.

Mya dealt with it by becoming the mother of them even more so than she already was. If anyone had a harder time than Gendry being away from their siblings, it was her. She was the one making sure that they were eating enough, they were all sleeping enough, she didn't talk down to them, but she compulsively looked after them. Mya didn't like having servants again and would much rather deal with their room herself. She didn't like the idea of someone being in their shared living space. She sent away the chambermaids three days after Arya sailed away and took on taking care of their room herself. Yara watched it happen and didn't say a word. She trimmed their hair; she helped Edric shave because it was difficult with one arm. She was the one who helped Edric do the strength exercising for his arm and continually helped him learn to walk on his leg. The first time one of them tried to sleep in the next chamber, Mya woke up screaming and wouldn't calm down until all four of them were together again.

Bella dealt with it by going completely numb. She used to be the Baratheon with the easy smiles who could talk to anyone and pull out their deepest and darkest secrets with a smile and coy look. That was not the case anymore. Bella did not let anyone who wasn't one of them touch her in any capacity. On the ship, a sailor reached out to steady her, and Bella jumped away and nearly screamed. There were a few of the Ironborn who thought they could sweet talk her, mentioned something about how her hair covered her scars so it didn't matter, and Bella just stared at them with that hauntingly blank expression. It was Edric who pulled out a knife and threatened to cut their throats, and Mya put a gentle hand on her arm. Bella spoke very little, and Mya would work with her to try and adapt to being hard of hearing now. Bella always kept her hair loose so it would cover the fact that she was missing an ear. Bella pulled a dagger from her belt when a sailor tried to touch her and stabbed him without saying a word. The sailor lived, and the men learned not to touch Bella Baratheon.

Edric was always the angriest of them, and everything that happened to them made it worse. He would snap at anyone who tried to offer him assistance getting around that wasn't family. The only time he let anyone see that he was struggling was in their room, with the door closed and locked so that no one could see it. Edric was the first to lash out anytime someone made a crack at their appearances, and it got to the point that Yara took Gendry aside and said that if Edric didn't stop threatening people, she would have to take his weapon. Gendry told her that taking any of the weapons they always carried now wouldn't go over well, but Gendry took Edric aside in their room to talk to him.

"Why aren't you angry?" Edric snapped one day that he hadn't made any more progress with his arm, and his back was bothering him from walking differently. "Why aren't you all furious about what those people fucking did to us? Look at us, look at what they did; we should be going back to Storm's End and taking back what is ours. We should be getting revenge."

"It's not safe," Mya said, ever the practical one. "Connington might be one of the people that did this to us, but we don't know the motivations of the other houses. We talked about this." It had been two weeks since Arya had left for the North, and Edric was getting antsier and antsier by the day. He wanted blood, and Gendry knew that look; he'd seen the same look in Arya's eyes.

"Edric, it isn't going to help," Gendry said. "Killing Connington isn't going to make us any less hurt than we are right now." That was the thing that Gendry was starting to realize as they all began to try to heal; they were all dealing with this differently, and Gendry dealt with all of this by becoming paranoid. He jumped at every noise, and it kept him from sleeping at night. He was always armed and always knew how out of the castle if they needed to run again. He compulsively checked their packs and made sure they were ready to grab at a moment's notice. Gendry learned the basics of how to sail while they were making their way back to Westeros, and he knew enough to get them off the Iron Isles if they needed to run again. The idea of returning to Westeros when there were still people there that might want him dead terrified him. Gendry didn't know what he would do if he lost one of his sisters or his little brother.

"You don't know that," Edric said, but words sounded forced. He was clenching his fist so hard he was going to draw blood. Mya wordlessly walked over and helped Edric relax his hand. Edric seemed to calm down a little as he wordlessly looked at the table in their room.

They were supposed to be healing, but Gendry felt as broken as ever.

+++

After some debate, it was decided that Sansa, Theon and Brienne would be going to the funeral. Jon didn't know Robin that well, and they weren't even blood cousins. Arya was still missing, and while Bran and Meera could travel, they didn't want to risk Jojana out on the open road just yet. Sansa didn't mind, but she wasn't looking forward to seeing the Vale again. She remembered her Aunt Lysa holding her over the Moon Door and threatening to throw her down. She remembered Littlefinger pushing Lysa through that door and claiming he did it to protect her. It was the place where she saw snow for the first time since going south and how much peace that brought her. Robin had been a dreadful little boy at that point, but he seemed to be growing up. Lord Royce was doing his best to raise Robin into a good leader, and when he came to her wedding, he seemed different. He seemed kinder.

Theon reached over and took her hand as their carriage continued to make their way through the Riverlands toward the Vale. Sansa was anxious because she didn't know how this was going to go. She just hoped that Lord Royce was doing a good job of keeping everything under control. He was the only one Sansa could see Robin leaving his House too. Lord Royce cared about the people of the Vale, and he wanted the best for everyone. He was a good man, and Sansa knew he would be hurting from this death.

"Do we know how he died?" Theon asked.

"No," Sansa replied. "But he was very sickly as a child, and no one was sure he would live to see adulthood. He seemed so much better the last time I saw him. He didn't look unwell. I'm hoping Lord Royce can tell us what happened when we get there." Theon squeezed her hand and eventually moved his arm around her shoulder as they held onto each other. They didn't like going south; neither of them did, but Robin was family, and Sansa couldn't turn her back on family. She looked up at Theon and placed a soft kiss on his lips, and whispered how much she loved him. He smiled, and it was a smile that Sansa was getting used to seeing. Theon was better every day, and he seemed more and more sure of himself as the days went on. It warmed her heart to see him confident again.

The Bloody Gate appeared, and Sansa noticed that soldiers were guarding it. They stopped the carriage, and she could hear people talking but couldn't make out the words. Sansa frowned and eventually opened the door to see why they weren't moving.

"Sers, is there a problem?" she asked. The guards looked a little nervous as they glanced at her, which made Sansa narrow her eyes.

"We've been told by the Lord of the Vale that House Stark is not permitted to come to the funeral of the late Lord Robin," one of the guards said.

"That's nonsense," Sansa said. "Robin was my cousin, my family, and Lord Royce would never forbid me from saying goodbye."

"Lord Royce is not the Lord of the Vale, Your Grace," the other guard said. "It's Lord Redfort, and he said that House Stark is no ally of the Vale, and you are not permitted to go beyond these gates. I'm sorry, Your Grace, but he was very insistent." Sansa couldn't believe what she was hearing. She just wanted to mourn her cousin and pay her respects, and she was being denied entry. None of it made any sense. She wanted to argue, but she also knew a pointless task when she saw one. Sansa stood up a little taller and looked the men right in the eye. They shifted uncomfortably under her stare.

"Is my uncle, Lord Edmure of House Tully, attending the funeral?" she asked.

"Yes, Your Grace, we've seen him," one of the guards said.

"Then please send him a message saying that I will be waiting for him when he returns from the funeral. Surely that kind of correspondence was not banned by your new Lord, was it?" Sansa asked as she raised an unimpressed eyebrow. The two guards looked at each other and then nodded. They said they would pass along the message, and Sansa walked back to the carriage. Theon was frowning deeply, as was Brienne and the House Stark guards that she was traveling with. "I need to speak to my uncle, and the only way to do that is to wait for him here. We'll set up camp right near the Bloody Gate and wait for Edmure to come down from the castle. Perhaps he has some information as to why I was denied access to my own cousin's funeral."

+++

Sansa didn't mind camping as much as everyone around her thought she would. It was the lack of safety that she didn't like, but there were plenty of guards that promised to keep someone awake and on the lookout at all times. Brienne swore that she wouldn’t let anyone hurt either of them. Even though Sansa knew that loyal men were watching their tent, she didn't sleep much, and neither did Theon. So they were both very tired when they got up the next morning and waited at the gate for Edmure to make his way down to them. They didn't have to wait long as he practically jumped off of his horse and ran up to them.

"I couldn't believe it when they told me," Edmure said. "I had no idea why he did that, and I'm so sorry I wasn't able to do anything. I plead your case, and so did Lord Royce, but Lord Redfort wouldn't be swayed. He also refused to give a reason no matter how many times I asked."

"Ride with us for the day and tell me everything," Sansa said. Edmure nodded to his guards and climbed into the carriage as they rode away from the Bloody Gate. "How did he die? He looked good the last time I saw him at the wedding."

"They said it came on very fast," Edmure said. "Robin might be stronger now, but he was still a weak child, and that has followed him to adulthood. It was a fever, and he just couldn't fight it off. He fought hard for three days. Lord Royce said he hung onto life like nothing he had ever seen, but Robin was still in pain and delirious from the fever. He passed on the morning of the fourth day."

"Is it a sickness that is plaguing the entire castle? Will they be a plague?" Theon asked, and Sansa blinked because she hadn't even thought of that.

"Several of the servants started to show symptoms as well. We had to burn their bodies and seal Robin's casket closed. I wasn't able to see him, no one was, but Lord Royce assured me that he was there with Robin the entire time. He didn't catch the sickness, and it seems to have only taken Robin and two servants," Edmure replied with a heavy sigh. "The poor boy. My sister babied him, and when he finally gets out from under her thumb and becomes his own man, this happens."

"Lord Redfort is the Lord of the Vale now?" Sansa asked.

"I was surprised as well. The logical choice was Lord Royce, but that wasn't the case. There was a will that said Lord Redfort would be the one to rule the Vale from now on," Edmure rubbed his temples and looked incredibly stressed. There was something else bothering him, and Sansa could see it.

"What troubles you, uncle?" she asked.

"One of my Houses, House Bracken, has been spending a considerable amount of gold lately. I'm going to have to go over there at some point and do a full audit to see why they are buying so much. I'm planning on going home to Riverrun first and spending some time with Roslin and Medgar. Then I will have to discipline one of my Lesser Houses," Edmure said.

"We had to do that too," Theon said. "One of our Houses thought that with Gendry in the south they could propose to Arya. We shut that down pretty quickly."

"Yes, such a shame what happened to those kids," Edmure said, and he looked legitimately upset about it. Sansa knew that Edmure felt a certain kinship with Arya and Gendry because they were the ones that freed them from House Frey, and they fought with him in the Long Night. Sansa ached to tell him that they think Gendry and the others might be alive, but she held her tongue. That information could be dangerous, and she didn't want to think about what could happen if the wrong people found out.

They rode together for as long as they could, but eventually, Edmure needed to continue south while Sansa and Theon needed to head back to the North. He nodded to both of them and said that he hoped they would come down to Riverrun to visit someday. Edmure seemed to know that was highly unlikely since Sansa and Theon rarely left the North, but he didn't seem offended by it either. He said it was a standing invitation and they could come whenever they wanted. They were family, and that meant something to him.

Sansa took Theon's hand in her own and rested her cheek on his shoulder as they continued the journey home.

+++

Arya thanked Asha for everything and wished she could give the woman more than just her thanks for everything she did. Asha waved her off like it wasn't a big deal.

"You helped me prove the world is round, little wolf; you'll be in history books with me for what alone," Asha said. "You let me know when you want to come back to the Iron Isles to visit." Arya knew that she meant when Arya wanted to see Gendry and the others again, but she smiled and nodded. She used the gold she had to buy a horse and went back to Winterfell as fast as possible. Arya was in the North for under an hour when Nymeria and her pack began to run alongside her.

Arya had barely touched the ground inside of Winterfell when Jon ran over and pulled her into his arms. He held onto her so tightly that Arya thought that he would break her ribs, but she didn't try to stop him. It had been over half a year since she'd seen her family, and she missed them like a limb.

"Little sister, when we got your raven, I almost didn't want to believe it was true. I'm so glad you're home and safe," Jon said. Meera, Bran, Val, and Davos all raced over to her, and Arya found herself getting so many hugs that she had to start laughing. Sansa and Theon appeared to be missing, though.

"I got the raven about Robin. Did they go to the funeral?" she asked as they all began to make their way to Jon and Val's solar. Arya took Jojana in her arms and refused to let her niece go no matter how much she squirmed. She was a little person now, and Arya's heart broke that Jojana didn't seem to know who she was. There was time for this little girl to remember her, and Arya had to keep repeating that. As soon as the door to the solar was closed everyone turned to her. "They're alive." Everyone in the room seemed to react differently as Davos just collapsed into a chair and began to silently weep. Everyone else was smiling with tears in their eyes or just looked shocked.

"Please, tell us everything," Jon said, and they all sat down. Arya told them about crossing the sea and the terrible storm and the massive Kraken. She showed them her missing fingers and told Davos that they matched now. He was still weeping, but it made him laugh through the tears. Arya explained what the Baratheon's went through because they needed to know even though it wasn't her story to tell. She received permission from each of them to share the details before she left the Iron Isles. Everyone looked a little sick when she finished detailing everything.

"They're alive, but they aren't well," Arya explained. "They are struggling in ways that are hard to put into words. It isn't safe for them here, not yet, and they need time to heal. I can't ask Gendry to come home yet. He couldn't, and it would be wrong of me to ask him.

"So you think the main accusing Houses had something to do with this," Val said, and Arya nodded.

"Houses Connington, Velayron, Redfort, and Bracken," Arya said as Jon wrote them down. "We have a connection to the Baratheon's from House Connington, Robert took their land, and they wanted revenge, but we couldn't see any reason why these other houses would accuse them. We also cannot come up with a reason why someone would fake the Ironborn attacks and pit Yara against Daenerys."

"We'll continue to look into Arya," Jon assured her. "Right now, you probably need to rest. We won't be solving this right now." It bothered her to let it go for now, but Arya nodded and walked back to her room. Gendry's things were still there the same as her own, and it still broke her heart to go to bed alone. Arya breathed through her pain and reminded herself that it wasn't safe for him yet. She couldn't risk losing him, and she didn't want to force his hand either. Arya wanted Gendry home and healthy and happy, and if that meant waiting, then she would wait.

+++

A week later, Sansa and Theon returned from the Vale, but there was something wrong. Sansa hugged Arya tightly, and Theon did as well, but Sansa immediately said that they needed to go to Jon's solar. Everyone gathered again, and Arya gave Sansa and Theon a very brief version of the events that happened and that the Baratheon's were home. She promised a more detailed version, but Sansa said that there was something else that they needed to talk about.

"We got turned away at the Bloody Gates," Sansa said. "The new Lord of the Vale said that no member of House Stark was welcome in the Vale anymore."

"That doesn't sound like Lord Royce," Meera said.

"That's because it isn't Lord Royce running the Vale; House Redfort has taken the seat," Sansa explained, and Arya felt her blood run cold. Everyone glanced at each other, but Sansa frowned as she looked at them.

"We were looking at the accusing Houses from the trial as possible suspects, but we couldn't see a reason why a House from the Vale or the Riverlands would want the Baratheon's dead," Arya explained. "But now House Redfort has taken the Vale after Robin has died in a move that seems out of character and not what anyone expected. Was it from a will?"

"That's what Edmure said," Sansa whispered. "Edmure said that Robin was stronger now, and he couldn't believe how fast the sickness took him. It took two servants as well."

"There are many poisons that could mimic a fever," Bran said. "And if they are willing to murder their Lord, they would be willing to murder some servants to make it look like a sickness."

"So it wasn't just the Baratheon's that the Houses were targeting but the Lords of their own lands. The Lord dies, and a will naming a House no one expects as the heir appears. The same way it did at Storm's End with Connington and now again with Robin the Vale," Jon said.

"Does that mean this House Velayron wants to unseat Daenerys? There is no possible way that would work. That doesn't fit the pattern," Val explained. Sansa frowned and then paled considerably.

"I remember from my studies; House Velayron used to be in charge of the royal navy, a position of which Yara and the Greyjoys now hold. The false Ironborn attacks, they must be setting up a reason for Daenerys to break the treaty and maybe even declare war," she said. Theon frowned as he pulled the paper forward and looked it over.

"Sansa, Edmure said one of his Houses was spending a considerable amount of gold and buying new things," Theon. "He said it was House Bracken."

"Edmure is next; they're going to kill him," Arya whispered.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Jon was quite proud of the fact that his first reaction to hearing that his uncle was a target for an assassination attempt was not to panic. The pieces of how all of this hell were starting to come into place but there were a few things that still didn't make sense to him. However, now wasn't the time because if they didn't save Edmure, then these people would have nearly won. If Daenerys ended up breaking the treaty with the Iron Isles and even declared war, then these people would have won entirely, and Jon refused to have that happen. He was quite sick of this little power grab of a game that these Lesser Houses were doing. They broke Arya's heart, and now she was trying to hold herself together. Jon couldn't forgive any of them for that alone.

"We need to send a raven immediately," Meera said, but Sansa shook her head.

"A raven could be intercepted or shot down. If they know that we do know, they could rally and say that it's time to declare war on us," she said.

"We need to warn him in person," Arya said. "We need to ride as fast as we can to get to Riverrun before they hurt Edmure, Roslin, or Medgar." If Edmure were killed, the next in line would be Medgar, and the little boy would have to be murdered as well. "I'm the fastest rider."

"You can't go south," Jon said, and they needed people who could ride hard and not stop for hours. They needed people who could handle sleeping in the dirt for three hours before getting up and riding hard all day again. Val reached over and placed her hand on top of his. She nodded and smiled at him. "Val and I will go."

"Jon, you're our king; you can't take your queen and just run to the south," Sansa said.

"We're the only ones who can ride hard and fast enough to get there to save him," Val said. "We're both warriors, we can both fight, and we have both survived in terrain harder than the Riverlands. We're the only ones who can go to warn him and fight if we need to." No one in the room could argue with that logic, and Jon jogged over to the guards waiting outside the door. He told them to prepare the fastest horses and set aside some food that was lightweight and could travel easily. He turned back to the room, and everyone was staring at him.

"If anyone has a better idea, I'd love to hear it," Jon said, and he was met with silence. "As I thought. Sansa, you will rule in my place until I return. We need to go pack immediately." Jon walked out of his solar, and Val quickly joined him in their rooms. They both began to pack quickly, but Jon found himself hesitating.

"Jon, if you're thinking of asking me to stay, I'm going to put a knife through your eye," Val threatened. He probably shouldn't have found that as arousing as it did, but apparently, his wife threatening him with bodily harm was attractive to him. He was learning new things about himself even now. Jon made sure that he had Longclaw and several other daggers on his person if need be. He couldn't see where Val was hiding her daggers, which meant that she had at least four on her person. They were both in more comfortable clothing now and layered enough that if it got too warm in the south, they could just leave the extra layers behind. There was nothing more important than getting to Edmure before House Bracken killed him.

They both raced down the stairs of Winterfell and found everyone outside waiting for them with two of the best horses already saddled and ready to go. It wasn't even an hour later, and everyone managed to get the things they needed ready.

"Thank you all for your help, and we're going to save him," Jon said as he climbed on the horse. Everyone wished them luck, and they were off. Jon couldn't remember the last time he rode hard like this, and he wished the circumstances were better, but it felt nice to get out and run like this. He glanced over at Val and saw a smile on her that he hadn't ever seen before. She smirked, and they continued to ride until it was too dark to see.

They didn't bring a tent or even a blanket since the weather was warm enough for two people who spent time North of the Wall. Jon laid out his cloak on the ground, and Val used hers to cover both of them up. They slept curled around each other in a way they didn't often do back at home. They only slept for a couple of hours before they woke up, ate some food, and set off again.

+++

On the third day, Jon felt like he was about to fall over. This was a lot, and Val didn't look much better. It was getting into the evening when he rode up to her, and they both slowed down their horses to a trot.

"We should stop earlier today. We're both exhausted, and we need some real rest, or we're not going to make it," Jon said.

"You're right," Val replied, and they turned off the road and found a decent clearing to set up their small camp in. Jon prepared a fire as Val went out to catch them some dinner. They couldn't rely on the provisions they took from Winterfell alone, and Jon thought some meat might help them both feel a little better. It was just getting dark when Val returned with two rabbits. They each skinned their own rabbit and set them up to cook over the fire. They were sitting close but not close enough to touch, and Jon watched the flames for what felt like a long time.

"This whole thing is too much," Jon said. "I thought things would be easier once Westeros was at peace, but it always feels like we're going to have another war every day."

"It's the nature of men," Val said with a shrug. "The North is stable, and you have loyal bannermen at your back. We could defend ourselves if it came to that, but I really hope it doesn't. I've had quite enough of war." Jon hummed his agreement, and they made small talk as the rabbits finished cooking. There was a shift in his relationship with Val at Daenerys' wedding. They had kissed each other just for the sake of kissing, and Jon stopped them from laying together a second time while drunk. Since they got back to Winterfell, things have been very busy, and they hadn't done more than a few stolen kisses and Val letting Jon sleep at her back every night. They were both exhausted and on edge tonight, there was a fire crackling in front of them, and aside from the horses, they were very alone.

They both wrapped what was left of the meat to eat in the morning and laid out the cloak to sleep on and the cloak to keep them warm. Once again, they curled toward each other, but neither of them tried to sleep despite how exhausted they both were. A piece of Val's hair had fallen out of her braid and into her eyes, and Jon couldn't stop himself from tucking it behind her ear. He let his fingers linger on her cheek, and Val smiled softly.

"You're being a romantic again, Jon Snow," she said, and Val was the only person who still called him Jon Snow, and she was the only one who didn't make it sound like an insult.

"A romantic would make sure you were in a soft bed with all of the comforts fitting a queen," Jon replied as he moved a little closer to her.

"This Queen doesn't need a featherbed, and something tells me that you know that," Val replied. They smiled at each other and finally closed the distance between them. It was so different to kiss her while sober and even more different from the times they kissed on their wedding night. Now, they actually liked each other as people, which felt like it made all of the difference in the world. Val deepened the kiss and moved, so Jon was on his back, and she was straddling his thighs. They began to slowly grind against each other, and it was too much and not nearly enough. Val broke away from their kiss and sat up. Jon moved with her, so he was sitting up, and Val was firmly in his lap. They smiled at each other again, and Jon began to kiss along Val's neck and jawline. She felt incredible in his arms, and he wanted to put his mouth all over her but now wasn't really the time.

"I want you," he whispered into her skin, and Val gasped again as he bit her the junction of her neck and shoulder.

"Yes," Val whispered. They pulled away to look into each other's eyes and began to strip any unnecessary layers. They both lost their leather armor and all of their weapons until they were down to just the soft clothing underneath. Jon got the string holding Val's pants open and slipped a hand into her smallclothes. Val gasped against his mouth as she worked on getting him out of his own breeches. Jon moaned when she got her hand around him, and he couldn't remember the last time he wanted a woman this badly. They both struggled to push Val's breeches far enough down, but everything ended up getting tangled, and Jon found them both laughing at how ridiculous it was. They were both working on kicking off her boots and getting rid of their breeches without stopping kissing or touching each other. "I never thought I would see the benefit of wearing a dress; this would be so much easier."

"That is one positive that's for sure," Jon replied as they kicked the last of her clothes away. She was bare from the waist down, and Jon couldn't look away from the pale skin in front of him. He thought about bandits and how they should probably not be naked in the middle of the woods, but Jon also didn't really care at that moment. "Fuck it," Jon muttered and began to work on getting himself out of his clothes.

"Oh, we're doing this, I see," Val said as she pulled his shirt and tossed it aside. Jon was about to have a smart remark when Val ran her hands up his chest and swiped her thumb across his nipple. That distracted him for a moment as Jon worked on getting out of all of his clothes. Val pulled her own shirt off and began to unwrap her breasts. No sooner had she tossed the wrap aside, and Jon lost his smallclothes they were on each other. Val moved into Jon's lap again as they kissed each other so hard he thought it was going to bruise. He slipped a hand between her legs and pushed a finger into her. Val got up on her knees to give him more access, but it also forced Jon to look up to kiss her. He got a second finger into her, and Val bit down on his bottom lip. "I'm ready," she whispered as she tried to soothe the bite with her tongue.

"I don't want to hurt you," Jon said back as he looked into her eyes. Val smiled softly and pressed a soft kiss to his lips.

"I want you, Jon, so don't make your queen wait any longer," she said. That was all the encouragement that Jon needed as he pulled her into his lap and felt her slide down on him. She was hot and slick, and it took a fair amount of his self-control not to lose it right then. They both moaned until she was fully seated, and they just stared at each other for a moment. This was different from their wedding night; that was duty; this was the first time they had laid together because they wanted to. Val rolled her hips, and the moment broke as they kissed again. Jon wanted to pull her hair out of the braid so he could run his fingers through it, but now wasn't the time. She felt so good around him, but the angle wasn't right, and he wanted more. He wanted to feel more of her. Mindful of the hard found they were on, Jon rolled them, so Val was on her back, and he could push even deeper into her. It must have felt amazing because she cried out and dug her nail into his shoulders.

"When we get into a bed, I want to put my mouth all over you," Jon said because it all felt too good, and his filter was gone.

"Yes, I've thought about what you'd look like between my legs," Val replied, and they both laughed again. Her skinned shined the moonlight as the fire burned down to jump the embers and they were both chasing release. Jon reached down and pressed two fingers to that spot, and Val immediately peaked, crying out loud enough to let anyone know what was happening. Jon only had to pump his hips a handful of times before he peaked. The exhaustion hit Jon harder than ever before, and it felt like a great effort to pull away from her and roll onto his back. He gathered Val into his arms as they kissed slowly, and he felt his heart skip a beat when their fingers interlock on his chest. Jon wanted to sleep like this, naked and close, but that wasn't practical, and eventually, they needed to get dressed. They didn't pull on their leathers and kept their boots off as they just pulled on their tunics and breeches.

Jon wondered they would move apart to sleep again, but Val came back into his arms, so they were nearly nose to nose again. They tangled their legs together under the warmth of the cloak and watched each other. Jon leaned forward and kissed her again but made sure to put what he felt into this kiss. He knew he was falling for her, and Jon never thought he would get so lucky as to start to love his queen. They weren't there yet, but it felt inevitable, and if the way she was kissing him back was anything to go by, Val felt the same way.

"My queen," he whispered against her lips.

"My king," she replied. The exhaustion was pulling him under, and Jon pressed one last kiss to Val's forehead as he fell asleep warm and content.

+++

The next morning they both woke up a little later than they had the last couple of days, and they were still wrapped up in each other. Jon leaned forward and pressed his forehead to Val's, and they stayed close like that for a moment. They needed to keep moving, so they did. For the next seven days, they rode as hard and as fast as they could down to Riverrun. Instead of curling in toward each other at night now, they slept wrapped around each other and would sometimes spend a little time kissing. On one night, two days from Riverrun, they took the time to untie their breeches and slip their hands inside. Val twisted her wrist in a way that made Jon see stars, and Val arched against him when his fingers made her peak. It was the most he had done with a woman in a short amount of time since he met Ygritte. Val knew about her, and they sometimes spoke about her, which was nice. It was nice to know that someone else was going to remember her.

By the time they got to Riverrun, Jon was half out of his mind with exhaustion, and Val looked like she was about to fall over. The Tully guards stared at him like they didn't know what the hell he was doing here, but there wasn't time for that. The guards were talking about how House Bracken was spotted nearby and making their way toward Riverrun. That meant they thought the deed was either done or close to being done. Jon turned to Val because right now, she was the only one he could trust.

"Find Roslin and Medgar and keep them safe," he said. "I'll find Edmure." She nodded, and they both took off into the castle. The servants and guards kept asking him what he was doing and what was wrong, but Jon didn't have time to answer that. Jon tried to open the door to Edmure's solar, but the door was locked. There wasn't time for this, and a locked door made him panic. Jon took a step back and kicked the door in as hard as he could. There was a body on the floor with their throat slit, but it wasn't Edmure. He was a guard wearing Tully colors, which probably explained how he got in the room. Edmure was nearby with a hand over a stab wound on his stomach, and the sword that Gendry made him was bloodstained and lying on the floor. Jon rushed over and knelt down next to him.

"Jon? What the hell are you doing here?" Edmure asked.

"It's a long story, but let's just say that I knew your life was in danger, and Val and I spent the last ten days riding as fast as we could to save your life," Jon replied as quietly as he could. Edmure blinked and then nodded slowly. "We need a maester in here!" Jon called out. More guards filed into the room, and a young maester pushed his way in. The young man looked at the wound on Edmure's stomach and breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's a deep wound, but it appears to have missed anything vital. You're going to bleed a lot, my Lord, and you're going to be in a lot of pain, but you're going to live," the maester said. He wrapped the wound, and the guards worked on getting Edmure out of the room and into safety. Jon looked down at the assassin as the castellan of Riverrun starred as well.

"An assassination attempt?" he asked, but Jon said nothing. He looked up when he heard someone approaching the room, and he saw Val with Roslin and Medgar, both of whom looked unharmed. For the first time in ten days, he breathed a sigh of relief. Roslin made a small sound when she saw the body on the floor.

"Please take me to my husband," she said softly. Jon walked with Val and Roslin down to the infirmary where Edmure was being treated. He was pale, but he looked all right. Edmure spoke to her silently and assured Medgar that he was going to be alright. Edmure glanced at Jon and Val and seemed to know that something was wrong.

"Everyone but King Jon, Queen Val, and my wife are to leave this room immediately," Edmure said in a voice that brokered no argument. Everyone scrambled to get out of the room, and Edmure turned to look at them. "So, care to tell me how you knew someone was going to kill me?"

+++

It took several hours for Jon and Val to explain everything that was going on. They left out the details about the Baratheon's being alive, they didn't want anyone to know, and it was safer that way, but aside from that, Edmure and Roslin learned everything that they knew. Edmure frowned more and more as he learned more of the story while Roslin paled considerably.

"My will states that Medgar will inherit Riverrun when I die; you're telling me that they would plant a fake will that says, for some reason, that I'm not giving my son his castle and instead giving it to a Lesser House?" he asked.

"No, that would make even less sense than what happened to Edric and Robin," Val said, and she hesitated for a moment. "I would say that the fake will could set House Bracken as the regent until Medgar is of age, or your son could be a target for assassination as well." Roslin choked out a sob as she held the little boy to her chest. Edmure reached out and put a hand on her shoulder as they both tried to come to terms with what they just heard.

"We have no proof," Edmure said softly. "We have no proof of what they've done, and House Bracken is on their way. I heard from my guards. They are coming into my home thinking I'm already dead so they can claim it, and I have no proof to show their terrible intentions." Jon frowned as he thought about it, and it dawned on him.

"The fake will. They are probably coming here to switch it out in the chaos that would follow your death. If they still have it on them, then that would be proof that they meant to do you harm," Jon said. "But even then, you couldn't. Multiple houses are doing this, and they are working together, at least on some level. If we expose one, who knows what the others could do."

"I'll lock the castle down once you leave, and they leave. I'll make sure that we're safe," Edmure said, but Roslin looked a little confused.

"How are they doing this?" she asked, and everyone looked at her. "I was a member of a Lesser House; I know the types of funds they pull in, and what they are capable of doing, and these Houses do not have the funds to do this."

"You think someone is funding the entire operation?" Val asked, and Jon closed his eyes. That meant there was someone else out there that they needed to connect to this.

"All of the people involved in this need to be taken care of at the same time, or there could be consequences," Jon said. "Let's try to get ahold of that will and any other evidence that could help us."

+++

Jon and Val lingered in the shadows as House Bracken appeared. Roslin went out and greeted them because Edmure was injured, and she wanted Medgar safe. Jon watched as she asked House Bracken what they were doing here, and they said they wanted to come and talk to Edmure about the gold issue in person at Riverrun instead of waiting. Val glanced at Jon and rolled her eyes; it couldn't be more obvious that House Bracken was lying.

"I'm afraid my husband is injured at the moment," Roslin said, and Lord Bracken paled a bit when Roslin said injured and not dead. "He will make a full recovery, but right now, he cannot meet you, my lord. Please, stay and have some food, and then you can be on your way. My husband will contact you when he's ready to discuss your gold problem. Follow me." Roslin didn't wait for a response as she turned around and walked into Riverrun. The saddlebag of the house that Lord Bracken was riding on was the most obvious place for documents to be stored. Jon didn't think he was smart enough to keep them on him.

The guards got lazy as they spoke with the Tully guards around Riverrun, and someone guided Lord Bracken's horse off to the stables. Jon watched as the stableboy walked away to go get more of the horses, and that was his chance. He raced into the stable and began to dig through the saddlebags. He found a large pile of papers, including what looked like some scrolls. Jon didn't have time to look them over as he snuck back out of the stable to Val. They stayed in their dark corner and began to look through the documents. Jon held up the will, and it did name House Bracken as regent until Medgar came of age. Jon could only guess that Medgar was not going to come of age under the rule of House Bracken.

"Jon," Val whispered as she looked over some scrolls. "These scrolls have a seal on them that I wasn't expecting to see. It's House Lannister."

"Why would the Lannister's need to speak to a Lesser Riverland house?" Jon asked.

"Roslin did say that they would need funding, and if there were anyone who has the gold to back a coup against our allies, it would be House Lannister," Val replied. "It's not proof, but it is a coincidence.

They snuck back into the castle and watched from the windows as House Bracken turned and left in quite a huff. Lord Bracken climbed onto his horse and didn't bother to check the saddlebag where the documents were hidden. They finally left, and Jon showed Edmure the will and the documents they found.

"We need proof against all the Houses, and Edric and Robin's wills are the best bet we have of implicating all of the Houses at once," Jon said. "I'd like to take this with me. They didn't know I was here, so they won't know where it's gone. If you had, you would say something. Without the will, they can't attack you again, and this is perfectly made. It will take some significant time to make another one. Until then, only keep trusted guards nearby and stay together as much as possible."

"What are you going to do?" Edmure asked.

"We need to gather the other fake wills," Jon replied. He left Riverrun with the precious documents in his saddlebag, Val next to him, as they started to ride back to the North.

+++

The days went by, and Gendry watched as they would take a step forward in getting better and then two steps back. Yara was endlessly patient with them, which kind of surprised him. Gendry didn't expect her to be the type to look after people like this, but she did. Yara did everything she could to try and help them, but there were just some things none of them seemed to get over. Bella still rarely talked to anyone, but she allowed Yara to hug her exactly once. Mya managed to spend one night away from them, but she hovered even worse than ever the next day. Edric gained more of his strength back but got angrier and angrier every day that they didn't do anything. He wanted revenge, Gendry could see it in his eyes, but revenge wasn't going to save any of them.

"We can protect ourselves," Edric said one night as they all got ready to sleep. "We're stronger than when we left, and people will underestimate us because of how we look now. We can play into that and then catch whoever tried to hurt us and make them pay."

"Westeros isn't safe for us right now," Mya said for at least the third time in as many days. "I'm not willing to risk any of your lives just so we can take back Storm's End a little sooner. We'll go home eventually, just not right now."

"They stole our homes, they sent us off to be sold into slavery, and they are the reasons we're mutilated. Why am I the only one who wants revenge for that? Why aren't any of you angry?" Edric snapped.

"Do you think I'm not angry?" Bella said, and her voice was a little hoarse from the fact that she so rarely used it. All of them froze and stared at her. "Do you think I'm not furious when I think about having that man's hands on me? I am, I'm furious, but I'm not an idiot. If we go back too soon, we could be on the next ship back to Lyse or Meereen or anywhere else as slaves. We were lucky we got away once; why would we risk it happening again?" It was the most Bella had said since they got back to Westeros and Edric looked a little surprised.

"We'll get our home back, and we'll see justice for what happened to us," Gendry said. "But we have to be patient." Edric frowned but didn't say anything else. They all went to sleep that night a little tense, and Gendry was worried about his little brother.

Three days later, there was some sort of commotion around Pyke Castle as everyone started to yell about something. Yara came running out to them, and she looked a little pale.

"There's a dragon on the horizon," Yara said. "That's all we can see, but if Daenerys is coming to declare war, then she wouldn't need much more than Drogon to take all of us out. I want all of you in the castle, and I want you to lock yourselves in your room. If you see anyone coming or see fire, I want you to get to the first boat you can and try to get off the island. I have to try and convince Daenerys not to burn us all alive."

"She's not coming to burn you," Edric said, and everyone stopped what they were doing to look at him.

"And how do you know that?" Yara asked carefully.

"Because I told her we're alive, and we're here. She's coming for us," Edric said as he looked at his siblings. "We might not be Targaryen, but the blood of dragons flows through our veins. I can't think of a better way to get what we want and make our enemies pay than with fire and blood."

"You had no right to do that," Mya said, and she was furious, which was rare. Of all of them, Mya was the one who didn't get angry, but right now, she looked like she was about to throttle Edric. "You had no right to make that decision for all of us. That is something we should have all had a say in."

"Gendry appointed me as the Lord of Storm's End, so I'm pretty sure I am the one who gets to make that decision," Edric snapped. "Daenerys is family, and if we tell her that we need to be kept safe, she'll keep us safe, but we can't keep hiding here." There was a beat of silence as Yara sighed heavily.

"Well, there's no stopping it. Let's go meet her," she said. They all got on horses as they rode slowly to the open area on the island where Daenerys was landing Drogon. She jumped off of the dragon and ran up to them. Her purple eyes were wide and red with unshed tears, her hair was in a messy braid, and Gendry wasn't even sure if she was wearing all of the pieces of her dress. They climbed off of their horses, and Yara stayed close behind as Gendry walked toward his cousin with his siblings. Daenerys made a sound like she was dying and threw her arms around all of them the best she could.

"I thought you were dead," she said, and Gendry could feel her tears soaking his shirt. "I thought I lost my family again, and I mourned you. What happened? Why are you here? And what are these terrible injuries?"

"It's a very long story, but I know that Queen Yara has been taking very good care of us, and the reason we didn't reach out earlier was because we feared for our safety," Mya said. Gendry was glad that she didn't mention that Edric went over all of their heads and that they didn't want to be found right now.

"No one can know we're alive," Edric said. "Not yet; that's why we stayed here instead of going home or to you."

"No one will know you're alive until you're ready to tell them, but I must insist you come back to King's Landing with me," Daenerys said, and Gendry glanced at all of his siblings. Daenerys wasn't the one behind all of this, and she hadn't shown any deceit in the past save for the trial, but that was a manipulation. Edric set his jaw and looked at them, which meant that he was going to be stubborn about this.

"We'll come," Gendry said, and Daenerys smiled brightly. She looked over their shoulders at Yara and her smile faded. Daenerys stood up a little taller and walked forward to Yara as they stared each other down.

"Queen Yara, thank you for taking care of my kin," Daenerys said.

"They are yours by blood and mine my marriage, and Greyjoys look after their own," Yara replied, and then she paused. "The Ironborn are not behind those attacks, Daenerys."

"Queen Daenerys," she replied, "and we'll discuss whether or not that is true at another date." Daenerys looked over her shoulder at them and smiled softly. "We need to look after them first." It was so quiet that Gendry wasn't sure he was supposed to hear it.

"Yeah," Yara said, and she looked a little worried, "we do."

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Arya didn't think she was pacing like a crazy person the second she watched Jon and Val ride off, but she was. There wasn't anything she could do about it, and she wished that she was the one going south to save Edmure. She needed to trust Jon and Val, though, and if there was anyone who could get there fast, it was them. It didn't make the waiting any better, and she tried to focus on other things. She went out with Brienne and began her training with her right hand. The Kraken had stolen the fingers from her dominant hand, but Arya was always pretty good with her right hand. She was very convinced, as was Brienne that she would be just as talented as she once was with her right hand as she was with her left. A few years ago, losing her fighting hand would have been the worst thing that could have happened to her. The battles she was fighting now were just as deadly and insidious without anyone brandishing a weapon. There was time to train.

Arya wanted to write to Gendry and see how he was, but the ravens could be shot down, and she didn't want to risk anyone finding out that they were alive just yet. She wanted to go south and demand all of these Lesser Houses confess to their crimes, but that wouldn't work. All she could do was wait and hope that Edmure was safe. They already lost one family member to all of this; Arya wasn't keen to lose another one.

Jon and Val rode back into Winterfell at a much slower pace than they left. They didn't look devastated, which Arya chose to mean that they got there in time. They gathered everyone in Jon's solar, so this story only had to be told once.

"We got there in time," Jon said, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. "We almost weren't. Edmure managed to kill the person that attacked him, but he was badly wounded. Roslin and Medgar are fine as well, and the three of them are locked down in the castle, with only their trusted guards watching them. I think they're going to be safe."

"How are you so sure that House Bracken won't try again?" Meera asked.

"Because we have this," Val said, and she pulled some papers out of her satchel. One of the papers got passed along, and Arya could see that it was a will and one where Edmure named House Bracken as the regent of the Riverlands until Medgar came of age. An age that House Bracken was surely not going to allow the little boy to become.

"So we have one of the fake wills," Davos said. "That is decent proof and even more so if Edmure can confirm that it isn't real. Do we have anything else?"

"Roslin raised an interesting question that none of us really thought of," Jon said. "All of this wouldn't be a cheap thing to do, so someone is probably funding this operation. Someone with a lot of power and influence. We might have some idea who that person might be." Jon tossed the other papers onto the table, and Arya bared her teeth at the symbol for House Lannister on the letters.

"There isn't anything in there that we can use that the two of us can tell," Val said. "But maybe we should have someone with a knowledge of codes and ciphers take a look at it. Maybe they have hidden something in these letters that could prove their correspondence."

"Aye, I can look at those, Your Grace," Davos said. "I was a smuggler in another life, so I know all about hiding things in plain sight. If there is a code here, then I'll find it."

"Those wills and correspondence between House Lannister are the best bets we have at proving all of this, but right now, all we have is proof that Edmure was targeted. That doesn't help us with Robin or the Baratheon's or the Greyjoy's," Sansa said.

"We need those wills and any proof that House Redfort and Connington were part of this," Arya said. "Someone is going to have to sneak into the Eyrie and Storm's End to get that proof, and I'm the one that should do it."

"Arya, if you get caught--" Theon started, but Arya held up a hand to silence him.

"I won't get caught because this is the most important thing to me, and I'm the only one here with the skills to do it. I'm the only one who could make it into those castles and escape without anyone seeing me," Arya said as she looked around the table. "You all know I'm right."

"And how do you plan on getting there?" Jon asked.

"I want to bring those that I failed home," Davos said. "I'll take her." Arya nodded to Davos and turned to Jon and Val, who were looking at each other and having a silent conversation, which they hadn't ever done before.

"You must swear not to harm Lord Redfort or Lord Connington," Val said carefully. "We cannot prove anything if they are dead. If we want to bring Gendry and his siblings home, get justice for your cousin Robin, keep your uncle and his family safe, and clear you of wrongdoing, no one involved in this can be killed. Do you understand that, Arya?"

"I am planning on getting in and out of the castle without anyone seeing me at all. I swear I won't spill the blood of our enemies," Arya said. Everyone stared at her like they were trying to figure out if she was lying or not, but Arya wasn't lying. The last thing she wanted was for Gendry and the others to be stranded on the Iron Isles or worse for the rest of their lives. There were so many things at stake if they didn't prove to Daenerys what was going on, and Arya would not risk them. Jon nodded to her, and it was time to go find some proof.

+++

Arya set out with Davos to White Harbor just a few days later. She could tell that the rest of her family was not happy about this, and Val made sure that the other Free Folk were closer to Winterfell than normal should the worst happen. Arya really hoped that nothing would happen, and she could get the proof they needed before something else happened. Robin might not have been her favorite person, but he was still her blood, and she knew he was trying to be a good leader. He was trying, and he didn't deserve this, and Arya knew all about revenge. This was revenge for banishing her to the North; this was revenge for hurting Gendry and the others, this was revenge for trying to hurt Edmure and his family, this was revenge for the entire settlements that were wiped off of the map thanks to fake Ironborn attacks, this was for all of them and Arya would see justice.

As they sailed away from White Harbor, Arya sat down and tried to think about how she was going to get into the Eyrie. Unlike Storm's End, where both her and Davos knew all of the in's and out's of the castle, Arya hadn't been to Eyrie before. She didn't know her way around, and she didn't know how to sneak in. There was only one way up, and she couldn't afford someone recognizing her. Davos didn't know either and said that he mostly traded in the coastal towns. He sailed them, in a ship with no House on the sails, to a place called Heart's Home. Arya put her hair up in a headscarf, took the dress she borrowed from one of the Winterfell servant girls and walked into the town without looking back at Davos. He was watching her, though, as she tried to think about how she could get beyond the Bloody Gate.

Two days later, the answer came as she overheard some men talking about their new Lord and how he was replacing every single servant in the Eyrie. Apparently, he wanted all new people now that he was running things, and there was a caravan leaving Heart's Home the next day. Arya didn't want to risk someone seeing her face, but this looked like the only way to get into the castle. She told Davos that night, and he frowned but didn't tell her not to go. He wanted revenge just as much as she did.

The next morning, Arya climbed into the caravan with the other servants heading up to the Eyrie. No one really paid her any mind, and the guards didn't look at her face, but they did check her for weapons. Arya didn't want to risk a servant girl being caught with a sword or a knife; she was unarmed, which didn't sit well with her. She wasn't here to kill anyone, and Arya wanted to leave without anyone even knowing something went wrong. The caravan went up the winding road to the Eyrie, and Arya had to admit she was rather impressed by the place. It was a stunning castle, and she wished she could have seen it under better circumstances.

The new Lord Redfort was ordering people around when she arrived, and Arya kept her head down. Lord Royce was the only one who might recognize her, and she couldn't risk seeing him. She was assigned the kitchens, and Arya worked there for two days before she learned the layout well enough to avoid the guards and sneak into Lord Redfort's room. He was downstairs, roaring drunk, and wouldn't be there for a while. Arya dug through the various piles of paper in the desk until she found the will she was looking for and, at the bottom of the draw, were more letters from House Lannister. The door to the room opened, and Arya looked up to see Lord Royce walk in. He was staring at her, and Arya tried to think of some excuse.

"Arya Stark, it's good to see you," he said as he closed the door and blocked her only exit. "Care to tell me why you snuck into this castle and are going through those papers?"

"I believe Robin was murdered," Arya said carefully. "If I can get proof in these papers, then we can get justice for him. I know that's hard to believe--"

"It isn't," Royce interrupted, and Arya shut her mouth. "Robin was healthy now, and he didn't show any signs of being sick before he suddenly got very ill. I had seen his will rather recently, and I was named his heir until he got married and had a child of his own. I was there when he told me that was the case after Gendry and his siblings died. That was the reason he made sure the Eyrie and the Vale would be looked after if he died. I knew something was wrong, but I couldn't prove it; you think you can prove it?"

"I do," Arya replied. Royce watched her for a moment and nodded. Arya hid the papers in her dress, and he stepped aside to help her out of the room. They walked through the castle together for a moment, and Arya kept her head down.

"I'll escort you down to the Bloody Gate tomorrow," Royce said. "I'll see you at first light." Arya breathed a sigh of relief and hardly slept that night. As soon as the sun rose, she found Lord Royce waiting for her. He told the guards that this girl wasn't settling in well and wanted to go back home. Arya made sure to make a few tears fall from her eyes, and the guards let Lord Royce escort her down the road to the Bloody Gate. Arya climbed down from the donkey she was riding and bowed deeply to Royce.

"Thank you, m'lord," she said.

"Good luck," Royce replied. He turned and made his way through the Bloody Gates without looking back at her. Arya took a deep breath and released it slow. She turned away from the path toward the Eyrie to make her way back to Heart's Home. They had two of the fake wills; it was time to find the third.

+++

They were less than a day away from Heart's Home when Davos smirked and declared that he had broken the code that the Lannister's were using to talk to the accusing Houses. With the code broken, it was obvious that the plan all along was to take over the various seats in Westeros and make sure that the North didn't have any enemies. After that, with all of the power of major regions behind them, they would convince Daenerys that it was time to go to war and destroy the North and the Stark's for good. Arya couldn't believe that all of this was about her and her family. It bothered her that these people were willing to do this and kill so many people along the way.

"We have a problem, though," Davos said as they approached Storm's End. He would be staying on the ship because there were too many people that might recognize him. "We'll have proof against Connington, Redfort, Bracken, and the Lannister's but nothing against Velaryon."

"These people are cowards," Arya said. "When they realize they'll be staring down a very angry Daenerys, you can assume that they'll change their tune." Davos hummed but didn't say anything else. He was still working on translating the ravens between the various castles and gathering more and more evidence that the Lannister's of Lannisport was fronting the money behind all of this. Arya couldn't think about that now because she had to focus on getting into Storm's End and getting what they needed. She once again wrapped her hair in a scarf, put on the servant's dress, and walked out into the people.

It was apparent that just in the time she'd been gone from this place that the Stormlands were not faring well under Connington, which was going to enrage Edric more than he already was. The people looked miserable and starving, and as she wandered around the area outside of the castle to listen for information, she could see that houses weren't being maintained, and no one looked happy. Even the guards didn't look like they were enjoying themselves at all. Arya needed darkness to sneak into the castle and walked into a small tavern to get some food. As she ate, she listened, and the people were suffering as Connington puts the needs of the nobility above the needs of everyone else. She hated him for that.

"The Dragon Queen was seen heading to the Iron Isles?" a man nearby said, and Arya froze as her blood ran cold.

"Aye, she wasn't there long, and people saw the dragon going back damn near the same day. She must be talking to the Salt Queen about the attacks," another said. Arya tried her best to calm her mind as she thought about what had happened. If Daenerys was going to the Iron Isles for diplomacy, she wouldn't have taken Drogon, not when things were already so tense. The only reason she would take Drogon was if she wanted to get there as soon as possible and without regard to anything else. The only thing that could make Daenerys act like that was family, and Arya closed her eyes; there was a good chance the Baratheon's were not at the Iron Isles anymore but with Daenerys in King's Landing.

However, if their secret was out, everyone here would be talking about it. If they asked Daenerys to keep it quiet that they were alive, she would do it. Arya breathed and told herself that Daenerys loved the Baratheon's, and from what Davos told her, she was devastated when she thought they died. She wouldn't hurt them, and she would keep them safe.

There was a distinct advantage of sneaking into Storm's End because she has done it once before. That night, all she could think about was getting proof that Gendry was alive, and now she just needed proof that Connington was the reason that they were sold into slavery. Something didn't sit right as she crept through the castle because Robin was killed, and they tried to kill Edmure. Why did they fake the deaths of the Baratheon's and send them to Meereen? It didn't make any sense, and as she snuck into Connington's office, she began to look for her proof. The will was there, along with several pieces of correspondence from House Lannister. She had what she needed, but Arya felt like she should keep going. It was a risk, but there was more.

It was at the bottom of the last drawer that Arya found the papers she was looking for. It was correspondence with Daario, and they weren't even talking in code. Connington reached out to Daario to hire one of his men as the assassin. He was the one who told Daario that he could give them the children of Robert Baratheon in the name of his Queen. Connington was the one who told Daario that this would be the thing that pleased her and said that faking the deaths then revealing they were enslaved was the best idea. Daario was desperate to please Daenerys, Arya could see that in the letters, and Connington took advantage of that. Daario was merely a pawn, and he even took gold from Daario in exchange for the Baratheon's.

It took all of her self-control not to go down to the round hall and kill that man, but she promised not to, and they needed Connington alive. Arya took the documents and snuck out of the castle without any issues. They sailed out as soon as the sun rose, and Davos looked a little sick as he looked over the papers. They had the three wills and various correspondence. Arya just hoped that someone would turn on House Velaryon so they could put this entire thing behind them.

+++

Arya and Davos landed at White Harbor and rode as hard as they could for Winterfell. They had proof, and they just had to hope that someone would admit what was going on to save their own skin. Jon looked over their correspondence and said that he would send a raven to Daenerys because it wasn’t uncommon for them to send messages back and forth, and they had a system to make sure that nothing was intercepted. Jon carefully worded the message that he wanted to come down to King’s Landing to talk about the treaty and Arya’s sentence now that a year had gone by. He made sure to put the word ‘proof’ and ran his quill over the word a few times, so it was slightly darker. He also made sure to mention House Lannister and also darkened that word. It was a piece of information that Gendry and the others didn’t know about.

“If Gendry and the others are there, they’ll know what it means,” Jon said after he heard about Daenerys going to the Iron Isles. “We just need to wait for the formal invitation to King’s Landing, and we can put this whole thing behind us.”

+++

The ride back to King's Landing on the back of Drogon was an experience Gendry didn't really want to repeat, and judging by how green his siblings looked, they didn't want to either. Daenerys got them safely into the castle without anyone seeing them and took them to a room that looked like no one had used it in a long time. There was dust, and the bed didn't look big enough for the four of them, but it would have to do. She hugged each of them tightly and cried as she looked at their wounds.

"How is it possible? What happened to you?" she whispered. For the next several hours, they explained to Daenerys everything they knew about what had happened to them and what they knew. Her face went deathly pale when they told her about Daario, and then she got a look that Gendry hadn't seen on her before. If Bella hadn't killed him, he was sure Daenerys would have gone over and done the deed herself. They told her about escaping and how they walked all across Essos to the edge. They told her about being sick and nearly dying and the village that took them in. They told her about the soldiers that nearly killed them and left the scars on their bodies. They told her about Asha and Arya finding them and coming back to Westeros, but they didn't feel safe. They told her about the accusing Houses and how they thought they were involved somehow.

"Daario wanted all four of us," Gendry said. "And there was no way to guarantee that I would be in Storm's End without any of my allies in the North unless Arya and I were separated. We think the trial and possible rebellion was just a ruse to get me and Arya separated, but we don't know why else they would do that or what connection these other Houses have to us."

"I knew they were doing something," Daenerys said carefully. "I knew they were trying to push me to do something, but I couldn't figure out the motivations. We might know why Lord Connington did this, but we don't have any other House's motivations. What about proof? Do we have any?"

"No," Edric said. "But I think Arya and the North might be working on that. At least, that was the implication I got when she left to go back home. We don't know anything else; we couldn't risk someone shooting down a raven."

"Thank you for telling me," Daenerys said softly. "And I understand why you felt the need to hide. No one aside from myself, Quentyn, and Missandei will know that you're here, and anything I can get you to help would be appreciated. I lost you four once, and I will not let that happen again. They will not hurt my family again."

"Thank you, Dany," Mya said with a small smile. They didn't tell her about the four of them needing to be close, but it didn't seem like the time. The room they were in was actually an interconnected suite of three rooms, but they couldn't really leave the way they could in Pyke, which was unfortunate. The days went by, and they used the multiple rooms to separate themselves little by little each day. It helped, and Gendry didn't feel like he was going to collapse in on himself if they were apart from each other for some periods of time. Mya didn't hover as much, Bella talked more, and Edric didn't look as angry. Gendry unpacked his bags and didn't feel the need to repack them, which was the biggest step forward he could have made.

It was nearly a fortnight later that Daenerys opened the door and stared at the four of them. She looked angry, but she also looked conflicted.

"Please, tell me why Yara is attacking my settlements," she whispered.

"It isn't her," Bella said immediately. "Yara says that no Ironborn ship is attacking anyone, and you have to believe her. Someone is framing them, and it might be related to what happened to us. Something is going on and involves those Houses."

"They are trying to trick you into going to war," Gendry said. "Don't fall for it, please, Dany. If you trust and believe us about anything please, believe that." Daenerys stared at the four of them and then sunk into a chair.

"Someone is attacking my people, and I want to know why. We need proof; we need something that can tell us that this is all a ruse," she said.

"Let's go to the village that was attacked," Gendry said without thinking. Everyone turned and stared at him, but Gendry stood up a little taller. "Let's go look for evidence, you and me."

"Gendry--" Mya started, but he shook his head.

"I'm the older brother, and I don't get to act like one often, so let me be the older brother. Dany, let me come with you, and let's go see if we can get some proof that this isn't a Greyjoy attack," Gendry said. His stomach twisted at the idea of being so far away from his siblings, but he needed to do this. Edric, Bella, and Mya could spend more time slowly learning to be apart from one another in Storm's End, but Gendry knew he wanted to go back to the North with Arya. If there was anyone that needed to learn to be away from them sooner, it was him. It was something they had discussed as they were using the three rooms to sleep apart. Daenerys watched Gendry carefully and then stood.

"Jon sent this," Daenerys said and handed them a small scroll. The four of them crowded around the table as they all tried to read it. It didn't seem like anything special until Edric pointed to one word that was slightly darker than the others.

"The word 'proof' is slightly darker than the others," Edric said. "I think he's telling us that he has proof against the other Houses. House Lannister is the same way; I think he's trying to tell us that they're involved too."

"Now we just need proof that the Ironborn aren't the ones attacking the settlements," Gendry said, and he looked at Daenerys. "We need every bit of evidence that we can get if we're going to get these people. Please, it can't hurt to go look."

"Very well, put on a cloak to hide your face, and let's go. We'll have to ride Drogon again," she said.

"Then it's good that I didn't eat lunch," Gendry replied without thinking. Daenerys smiled at him, and it was that smile that lit up her entire face and one that he so rarely got to see. Gendry covered his face and followed her through the hallways to the Dragon Pit, where both Quentyn and Missadei were waiting. Daenerys told them what she was doing and that they should be back before nightfall. Gendry had his sword that he stole from Daario on his hip, and Quentyn gave him that a look that seemed to ask him to look out for her.

They climbed on the back of Drogon, and Gendry didn't even try to hide the fact that he was clinging to Daenerys. She didn't say anything about how it was probably hard to breathe, and he could feel her chuckling a little as they flew into the sky. It was beautiful up here when Gendry got the confidence to look down, which wasn't often. He never knew he had a thing about heights until now.

The settlement wasn't burning anymore but was like a small black spot that they moved toward. Daenerys landed Drogon, and they both climbed down from the dragon. Gendry swayed a bit on his feet, and there was a tight knot in his stomach because he couldn't see his siblings, but he tried to breathe through it. They walked slowly through the burned houses and the lingering smell of bodies in the air. There were graves dug just out of the settlement's outskirts. Daenerys said that the local Lord came and helped, and there were only a handful of houses. It wasn't much to go on.

"What are we looking for?" Daenerys asked, but Gendry didn't answer her. There was something about the burned house on the edge of the settlement that was bothering him. It wasn't as destroyed as the others, and there was something other than the smell of flesh and burning wood in the air. Gendry carefully walked toward the house and pulled open the door carefully, and it nearly crumbled under his hands. There was a small bed in the corner, a burnt-out hearth, rotting food, and yet something still bothered him. Daenerys followed him inside, seemingly uncaring that her dress was getting covered in soot, and they both looked around. There was a small storage closet nearby, and Gendry glanced at Daenerys. They both walked forward and slowly opened the door. Daenerys gasped, and Gendry swallowed past the bile in his throat.

"I think we found our proof," he said.

"That we did," Daenerys whispered. "Let's return to King's Landing; I have several Houses I need to call to court."

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

After Jon sent out the raven to King's Landing, Arya spent one horrifying day thinking that Daenerys wouldn't let her travel, and she wouldn't get her pardon. It took all of her self control to try and calm herself down. The pardon was one of the reasons they were going and all of them being together was important. She just needed to calm herself enough so she could wait for the raven. Arya found herself wondering if Gendry would be coming back to the North even if they were pardoned. The idea of going to Storm's End for an extended amount of time didn't bother her. She loved Edric, Mya, and Bella so much, and she really enjoyed riding through the Stormlands, trying to outrun a storm and how beautiful it looked while watching the sun from the top of the tower. Her family wouldn't be happy that she stayed, but they would understand that Gendry needed time and Arya wasn't going to be away from him. She refused to believe that this wasn't going to end with them together one way or another. They'd been through hell, and Arya was sick of it. She wanted her life back.

The raven arrived nearly a sennight later, and Arya just wanted to know what it said. Her bags were packed, and all she wanted to do was go south, and she never thought she would say those words again. They met in the solar as Jon and Val looked over the scroll. They glanced at each other and didn't say anything, and that was about the last of Arya's patience.

"Well? What's going on?" she asked.

"We've been formally invited to court at King's Landing, and Queen Daenerys humbly requests that you join us, Arya," Jon replied, and Arya breathed a sigh of relief. "She also requests that Theon join as well since Queen Yara will be there and that Sansa is welcome to come as well."

"I'm your Hand; I need to stay here," Sansa said quietly.

"My daughter is his heir," Bran said, and everyone turned to look at him.

"Bran and I do pay attention," Meera said with a smirk. "We can look after things until the four of you get back. We need a united front down there and staring down you four will be a wise thing."

"No one is afraid of me," Bran said.

"My love, everyone is very afraid of you, just not for the reasons they are afraid of your siblings," Meera replied. There was a beat of silence as Sansa blinked, and she glanced at Theon. They seemed to have a silent conversation before they nodded. Everyone left the solar, so they could begin to pack.

+++

The ride down to King's Landing was strangely calm considering what was at stake, but there were also plenty of distractions, such as the way Jon and Val were acting around each other. They smiled and touched each other a lot more now, and there were certain sounds coming from their tent that Arya really didn't want to associate with her older brother. However, he looked so happy that Arya couldn't really blame him. She wondered if this was how Jon felt when he first saw her with Gendry and realized that she found someone that brought her inner peace. Jon seemed to have found someone to bring him inner peace, and Arya couldn't fault him for that.

By the time they got to King's Landing, Sansa was a little pale and clutching Theon's hand so hard that Arya thought she was going to break his fingers. Theon, to his credit, didn't say a word and let Sansa break his hand. He kissed her temple and whispered to her. Arya got off of her horse and climbed into the carriage with her sister. The two of them had bad memories here, and Arya let Sansa break her hand too. It was fine, and it was a thing she was more than willing to do for her sister.

Missandei was waiting for them when they arrived, and Arya remembered the last time they were here. It was too similar, and it made her nervous, but she couldn't let that show. Not when Sansa was having such a hard time just being in the city right now. Missandei bowed deeply to them and actually looked rather pleased to see them.

"Your Graces, I hope that we will be seeing each other under better circumstances this time," she said.

"As do I," Jon replied.

"I'm afraid I must escort you to your rooms. We are keeping the kingdom's separate for the moment until we have court and figure out the next move so we can keep peace throughout Westeros," Missandei said.

"Are the Tully's here?" Val asked. Edmure was part of the Crown, and he could be mingling with the people that wanted him dead.

"Yes, but since Lord Tully's was recently injured, he and his family are resting in their rooms until it is time for court," Missandei replied, which meant that the accusing Houses and the Lannister's were separate from the people they were trying to kill under the guise of diplomacy. Missandei smiled once they were all in the room and folded her hands in front of her.

"Her Grace requests that you keep any important personal belongings on your person for now," she said. "I'll come by in a little while to bring you to court. Your Graces." Missandei bowed and walked out of the room. Arya took a deep breath and tried to calm her racing heart. Sansa didn't appear to be faring much better right now, but at least they were all together. Jon put a hand on Arya's shoulder and squeezed it.

"She wants us to hold onto what we have for now," Jon said, and he was purposely as vague as possible. You never know who could be listening when it came to the Red Keep. Jon had all of the documents, including the translated papers, with the key that Davos made. He was still in the North but would sail down as soon as he got word that the Baratheon's were in charge of Storm's End again. There was a little food in the room, but Arya didn't want to eat, and she nearly jumped out of her skin, where there was a knock at the door. Missandei smiled and gestured for them to follow her.

The Red Keep's throne room looked just as it did the day that the trial ruined her life. Arya felt Sansa reach over and take her hand as they walked in. She wasn't sure if Sansa was trying to comfort her or if Sansa was looking for comfort herself, but Arya would take the grounding presence of her sister. The Baratheon's were nowhere to be seen, but Arya knew that their being alive was the biggest piece of evidence that they had. The rest of the accusing Houses and House Lannister were all present along with the Martell's from Dorne, who nodded politely. Yara here as well, and it was evident that it was purposely set up to make sure that everyone was separate. Every House had a banner with their seel in front of where they were sitting.

"Thank you all for coming," Daenerys said from the iron throne, and she stood up. Quentyn sat back and let Daenerys control the room. "A year ago, we sat in this room and had a trial, and now that a year has gone by, I would like to revisit the terms of the sentence that was handed down. We also have some other matters that need to be handled. Is that an agreement for everyone?" There was a soft round of "yes's" and Daenerys smiled as she looked at Yara. "The Salt Queen Yara Greyjoy, please step forward; I believe we have some matters to discuss."

"That we do," Yara said and purposely didn't use Daenerys' title. Arya didn't have any information implicating House Velayron, and they were going to cover the Ironborn attacks first. "Queen Daenerys, you have accused my people of reeving along the coasts of Westeros, and I am here to deny that claim. No ship of mine has stepped foot into a settlement to reeve since we made our original treaty so long ago on Dragonstone."

"I see," Daenerys said. "I would like to believe you, Queen Yara, but do you have any proof aside from your word and the word of your men?"

"The word of myself should be enough, but no, I do not," Yara replied.

"Then it's a good thing we found a witness that could help clear up this entire matter," Daenerys turned to Missandei and nodded. Arya noticed for the first time that despite the tone of her voice Yara was confident like she knew that this was going to happen. Missandei walked a little girl out into the Red Keep. She looked afraid with her dark brown hair in a messy braid. She couldn't be older than five. "During the latest staged Ironborn attack, little Elemy was found among the wreckage of her home." Now Lord Velayron was looking a little nervous as he shifted in his seat. Both Yara and Daenerys looked at him in the corner of their eyes but said nothing. "She is a witness to this attack, and I would like to ask her what she saw." Daenerys got down from the throne and walked down to Elemy's level. She knelt down and smiled. "Hello, Elemy."

"Hi," the little girl said in a quiet voice, and Sansa's hand tightened around Arya's.

"Are you comfortable? Have you gotten enough to eat?" Daenerys said, and Elemy nodded. "Good, I'm so glad. Now, I'd like to ask you what you saw the day the bad people hurt your mommy and daddy. Can I talk to you about that?"

"I already told you," Elemy replied, and Daenerys took both of Elemy's hands in her own and squeezed them.

"I know, but all of these other people want to know what happened," Daenerys said. "You got a look at the crest of the people who were hurting your family, yes?" Elemy nodded. "Could you point to that crest?" Elemy blinked and then pointed to the seahorse of House Velayron. Lord Velayron immediately stood up in a huff, and Elemy nearly hid behind Daenerys.

"Your Grace, what is the meaning of this?" he demanded.

"I would like to know the same thing from you, My Lord," Yara said carefully. "Why are you trying to frame my men? Why are you trying to trick your Queen into attacking the Iron Isles? We have a witness who just implicated you, and my word that my men are not attacking Westeros. What is your word worth, My Lord?"

"Yes, Lord Velayron, why are you trying to implicate Queen Yara and her men? Why are you trying to push me toward war?" Daenerys asked as she tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. Arya could practically hear Drogon outside like he was about to burst into the Red Keep at any moment. "Your House has always been fiercely loyal to mine, so I would like to know why you would betray me like this? Does it have anything to do with the new ships you appear to be making? New ships for a new navy if my alliance with the Iron Isles is broken."

"Your Grace--"

"Please, sit, now, My Lord," Daenerys said, and Velayron immediately did as he was told. Daenerys turned and whispered to Elemy that she did a good job, and Missandei took the little girl's hand and led her away. As soon as Elemy was out of sight, the smile faded, and Daenerys looked out at them with those eerie purple eyes of hers. "Next item of business is the attempted murder of Lord Edmure of House Tully. Lord Tully, you are still injured from the attempt on your life, but please tell us what happened."

"Yes, Your Grace," Edmure said. "I was in Riverrun when someone dressed as one of my guards attacked me in my locked solar. I managed to kill him, but I was severely wounded. I was saved by King Jon and Queen Val, who came to warn me that there would be an attempt on my life."

"Did you also bring the document I asked you to bring?" Daenerys asked. Edmure nodded, and one of Edmure's guards handed Daenerys the papers. "This is the will of Lord Edmure Tully that names his son Medgar as his heir with his mother, Roslin, serving as the Lady of Riverrun until he came of age. My Lord, what happened next?"

"Lord Bracken arrived without notice," Edmure said, and Lord Bracken sat up a little straighter in his chair. "My wife attended to him, but it was strange that he had arrived since I was due to visit him to see why he was suddenly spending so much gold to buy new things." Daenerys nodded and glanced at Jon.

"Queen Val and I were there, and we had our suspicions about why House Bracken would arrive so suddenly. While the Lord was preoccupied, I had a look in his saddlebag and found a new will from Lord Tully that named him as the Lord Regent until Medgar came of age," Jon said as he stood up and handed Daenerys the fake will. He didn't mention the correspondence with the Lannister's yet, and Arya could only assume that implicating a Great House would be something they did last.

"Lord Tully, is this will fake?" Daenerys asked.

"It is," Edmure said as he glared at Lord Bracken. "And I would love to know why one of my Houses was carrying a forgery will right after I was nearly killed."

"Lord Tully, I was just coming--" Lord Bracken tried, and everyone began to talk over each other. It went on for a moment, and Arya could see Daenerys getting angrier and angrier.

"Silence," she yelled. "I have learned some rather disturbing things about the people under my rule, and I intend to get to the bottom of them today." Daenerys glared at all of them, and the Red Keep was entirely silent. Quentyn was watching all of this unfold with a smirk like he was watching something very amusing, which wasn't discerning at all. "King Jon, Queen Yara, I consider us united in this. Please join me." Jon and Yara both walked forward, and the three of them stood together, and none of them looked very happy. "Lord Royce, thank you for coming today. You believe that your former Lord Robert Arryn was also attacked and murdered the same way that Lord Edmure was attacked?"

"I do," Lord Royce said, and Lord Redfort was paling. "When the attack on the Baratheon's happened, Lord Robin got nervous and wrote a will. I was there when he signed it, and I watched him tell me that he believed that I would be the one to keep the Vale safe if something happened to him."

"What happened next?" Jon asked.

"Lord Robin got sick very suddenly, too suddenly, and he died in pain. His will was found, and Lord Redfort was declared the heir despite having almost no contact with Lord Robin before that moment."

"What is this will--" Lord Redfort said.

"Is this the will you found that you said was fake?" Jon said as he pulled it out of the bag. Redfort looked like he was about to pass out now, and Arya smirked.

"It is," Royce replied.

"Your Grace, I didn't--" Redfort started, but a single glare but Daenerys, and he shut up immediately.

"The first attack in this plot was against my own kin, Lord Edric Baratheon, Lady Mya Baratheon, Lady Bella Baratheon, and Ser Gendry Stark. The attack made against them knew that it needed Ser Gendry in the same place as his siblings without any of his Northern allies. That is why all of you insisted on the trial a year ago and why you insisted that he stay in the south while banishing Princess Arya to the North. Lord Connington, you stand accused of attempted murder on House Baratheon," Daenerys said as Jon pulled out the will and handed it to Daenerys. "This will has been deemed a fake; how do you plead?"

"You have no proof of anything--" Connington cut himself off and frowned. "Attempted?" Daenerys narrowed her eyes and nodded to Missandei, who opened a door. Edric, Mya, and Bella were all dressed in black and gold, looking like the fine Lord and Lady's that they were, while Gendry wore Northern colors. Their wounds were better, but they were all clearly injured, and everyone gasped as they walked in. Connington stared at the four of them like he didn't know what to do with himself.

"My cousins and the remaining members of House Baratheon are alive after a plot that nearly took their lives," Daenerys said. "Lady Asha Greyjoy and Princess Arya Stark sailed west to find the east side of Essos to prove the world is round and bring them home after a horrifying ordeal that has scarred them all. Lord Edric, is this your will?"

"It is not," Edric snapped as he glared at Connington. "I named my sisters and then Ser Davos as my heirs. Lord Connington was never mentioned at any time."

"I confess!" Connington said he ran forward and threw himself on the ground. "Please, I confess, I'll tell you everything if you grant me mercy, please!"

"Mercy," Edric spat out as he glared down at Connington. "If you had harmed me alone, I might have granted you mercy, but you harmed my sisters and my brother, and I do not take kindly to people hurting my family and taking what is mine."

"Lord Edric," Daenerys said as she placed a hand on Edric's shoulder. "What could you possibly give us, Lord Connington? I appear to have all of the evidence I need against the accusing Lesser Houses."

"We didn't work alone," Connington said, and Arya watched as Lord Lannister sat up a little taller. "We worked together to force you into the trial, but we didn't do this alone. We had help from House Lannister. They funded the entire plot!"

"How dare you," Lord Lannister said as he stood up and glared, but Daenerys was ignoring him. She stared down at Connington.

"You would testify against all of your fellow conspirators in this plot if you are granted mercy?" Daenerys asked.

"Yes, I'll tell you everything," Connington begged. "Please, Your Grace, grant me mercy." Arya thought that Edric was going to try and hack Connington's head off himself while Mya, Bella, and Gendry all looked like they were torn between attacking Connington himself or reaching out to stop Edric.

"Mercy is granted," Daenerys said. "You have been pardoned for the attempted murder of House Baratheon. You will be exiled, but you will keep your life provided that you testify." Edric didn't look happy about that, but he didn't say anything. Jon reached into his pocket and pulled out the correspondences between the Lesser Houses and House Lannister. "Lord Connington, is this you speaking with House Lannister in code about this plot of yours?"

"It is, Your Grace," Connington said.

"These letters are between House Bracken, Redfort, and Connington. According to my records, House Velayron would need gold to make their new ships, and House Lannister did send some wagons to House Velayron. Lord Lannister, do you have anything to say for yourself?" Daenerys asked. There was silence as everyone stared at Lord Lannister, who glared at all of them.

"You fucking Stark's," Lord Lannister spat out. "This all started with you fucking Stark's. If you'd never come south, the war wouldn't have happened, and we wouldn't have lost everything. You had too many allies in the Greater Houses, and that needed to be taken care of so you could be taken care of. When we had the power, we were going to see that you were taken out of the picture."

"You're admitting a Vendetta against my House and admitting to trying to goad your Queen into going to war with the North?" Jon asked, and Lannister spat on the ground.

"Your House, you're a bastard just like those Baratheon brats," Lannister said.

"Guards, seize Lords Redfort, Connington, Lannister, and Redfort and immediately bring them to the Black Cells. We will deal with sentencing and trial tomorrow," Daenerys said. "Since the people involved with the trial had admitted that they had other reasons aside from justice for pursuing their actions against Princess Arya and Ser Gendry, I hereby commute their sentence. They have been apart long enough. Ser Gendry may return to the North, and Princess Arya may come to the south again. There will be no war between our three nations; we stand united, and we will not tolerate attacks against our own people and our own blood." Gendry looked up at Arya, and they stared at each other with wide eyes. As the guards seized the people that had tried to ruin their lives, Arya nearly vaulted over the table and threw her arms around her husband. The people that hurt them weren't ever going to hurt them again and, when Gendry was ready, they could go home.

They could finally go home.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Sansa watched as Gendry and Arya threw their arms around each other and held on like one was going to vanish if the other let go. The other Baratheon's were all injured in ways that made Sansa wince. Mya was wearing what appeared to a patch over her eye made of beautiful fine gold and black silk, Edric was walking on a metal foot with his other arm in a sling, and even from here, Sansa could see that Bella appeared to be missing one of her ears. Gendry had a terrible scar down his face, and they were all standing carefully like they didn't want anyone approaching them. Daenerys walked over and talked to them softly, and they began to walk out of the room. Gendry looked up when they were about to leave and whispered something to Arya. She nodded, looked at Jon, who also nodded, and they all walked out of the throne room.

She wasn't sure when she stood up, but Sansa took Theon's hand, and the two of them walked over to Daenerys. There was something bothering her, and she wanted to take care of this right now. Yara clasped her brother on the shoulder while Daenerys smiled softly.

"Sansa, Theon, it's lovely to see you both again, and I'm very glad it is under better circumstances," Daenerys said. "I know neither of you is fond of the south, so I'm very happy you decided to make the trip. I felt it was important for all of us to be together when we confronted this."

"I agree," Sansa agreed, and she pressed her lips together. She glanced at Theon, and he looked a little confused, like he wasn't sure what was bothering her but squeezed her hand nevertheless, which meant that he was going to support her no matter what she asked. "The little girl from the settlement that was attacked, Elemy, where is she?"

"Missandei is looking after her; why?" Daenerys asked.

"I wanted to thank her," Sansa said. "She is the one who prevented a war between the Crown and the Iron Isles, and while I'm not overly fond of the people who treated my husband like he was lesser, I know we would have both been heartbroken if the worst had happened." Sansa hesitated. "I also know what it's like to stare down court as a child, and I wanted to make sure that she was okay."

"Of course," Daenerys turned to Quentyn and asked if he could handle things right now. He nodded, and she gestured for Sansa and Theon to follow her. She guided them through to the gardens as Missandei was quietly talking to the scared little girl who was fascinated by all of the pretty flowers. Sansa tried not to think of the many times she walked through these gardens with Tyrion or on the arm of Loras or Margaery as she tried to think of a better life. Those memories hurt, and while there was a very good chance the Tyrell's were just using her like everyone else, she did appreciate their kindness in their manipulations. Daenerys walked over to Elemy and knelt down in front of her. "Elemy, would you like to meet two friends of mine?"

"Are they nice?" Elemy asked, and something in Sansa's heart shattered at the fear this little girl was trying to hide from them. The implication was that all of the noble's this little girl had met frightened her, and she wanted to know if Sansa and Theon were any different. Sansa squeezed Theon's hand tighter as she tried to keep herself in check.

"Yes," Missandei replied. "They are very nice." Elemy glanced at Daenerys, who nodded as well. Elemy finally nodded carefully, and Daenerys gestured for Sansa and Theon to join them. Sansa immediately got down into the dirt, so she was eye level with Elemy, uncaring of what it did to her dress.

"Elemy, my name is Sansa, and this is my husband Theon," Sans said as Theon joined her on the ground. Both Daenerys and Missandei stood up and gave them a little bit of privacy while staying close enough that Elemy could see them.

"Hello," Elemy said carefully.

"I wanted to thank you for being so brave," Sansa said. Her voice cracked, and Theon pressed his shoulder against hers, but she soldiered through this. She refused to let the bad memories of the Red Keep make this interaction with this innocent anything less than good. "The bad men that you helped stop today were going to try and hurt the place where Theon is from, and because of what you did, no one is going to get hurt. We wanted to personally come and thank you for that." Elemy blinked as she looked at the two of them like she didn't quite understand what was going on.

"I just told them what I saw," she said.

"You did," Theon said, and Sansa had to stop herself from physically reacting to the tone of his voice because she hadn't ever heard him talk to someone like that before. "But you still did a very brave thing, and you saved my home and my people. You're a hero."

"I am?" Elemy asked, and something in her brightened.

"You are," Sansa said softly. "In honor of being a hero, I'd like to help you. I want to help you find somewhere to stay. Do you know where your uncles or aunts or grandparents live?"

"Oh, no, I don't have anyone, but mama and papa, and they're--" Elemy cut herself off as her expression crumbled. She stumbled forward into Sansa's arms and began to sob. With her wide eyes and messy brown hair, all Sansa could think about was Arya and how she tried to be so brave as a little girl too. Theon moved, so he was holding both of them because Sansa didn't even realize that she was silently crying as she held this little girl in her arms. Theon pressed his forehead to hers, and the three of them sat together in the dirt and the mud of the Red Keep's gardens for a long time. Elemy eventually stopped crying, and she reached forward with tentative hands to touch one of Sansa's braids. "Your hair is so pretty." Sansa wasn't sure if she laughed or sobbed, but she pressed a soft kiss to Elemy's forehead.

"You're a sweet little thing," Sansa whispered. Elemy buried further into her chest and eventually fell asleep in her arms. Daenerys and Missandei made their way over and knelt down with her and Theon. "She doesn't have anyone," Sansa whispered. "She told me that she doesn't have any other family. She helped prevent a war, and she has no one."

"It looks like she has someone to me," Daenerys whispered. "In the days since Gendry and I found her, Elemy hasn't let anyone aside from Missandei, and I touch her, and even then, it was just taking her hands. She went right to you, Sansa; she went right to both you and fell asleep in your arms. I think the Old Gods are trying to tell you something." Sansa looked at the sleeping little girl in her arms and then at Theon, who smiled softly at her.

"We did always talk about adopting someone who needed a home someday; who better than the one who saved mine?" he said, and Sansa was so proud of how steady his voice was. Theon had come so far from the man who had to hide in their room and couldn't be around too many people. This time since the war had been good for him and Sansa was the one who felt weak. He was sitting here, looking and sound strong, who Sansa felt like she was about to fall apart at any moment.

"If it's what she wants, she can have anything she desires," Sansa whispered as she looked at the sleeping Elemy in her arms. Theon settled next to her, his arm around her shoulders, and they both watched Elemy sleep. Sansa looked up when Daenerys squeezed her arm, and her and Missandei left them alone. Theon pressed a soft kiss to her hair, and Sansa breathed in the sea air of the Red Keep that haunted her nightmares and tried to feel peace.

+++

Arya followed the Baratheon's back to the room that they were sharing and watched as all four of them seemed to relax a little the moment she locked the door behind them. Gendry pulled her into his arms again and held on for dear life like she wouldn't vanish if he looked away from her. He kissed her forehead, and the four of them moved to a small table and chairs in the middle of the room.

"You were the one," Gendry said softly as he touched her hand with the missing fingers gently. "You were the one that snuck into the castles and collected the fake wills. It was you, wasn't it."

"I wasn't going to let them get away with what they did to you," Arya replied as she looked at all of the Baratheon's. She loved them all so much; sometimes, it made her heart burst. "I'm sorry that we didn't get enough to stop Connington."

"Queen Daenerys granted Lord Connington mercy for the part he played in attempting to unseat me, but I'm confident he'll see justice," Edric replied carefully.

"Justice? Not revenge?" Arya asked, and Edric smirked like he knew something that she didn't.

"Yes, justice," he replied.

+++

The trial started the next day, and Arya could not express how relieved she was to sit next to Gendry and hold his hand in public again. The previous night the Stark's and the Baratheon's had dinner with Daenerys and Quentyn, and for the first time since the wedding, Arya felt like they were all happy to be in the same room. Daenerys once again apologized for believing her Lesser Lords and everything that happened, but the Baratheon's in particular, didn't seem to hold it against her. If there was anyone who suffered in the name of this conspiracy, it was them as they all still wore the scars of their journey on their bodies. Arya looked at her left hand and the missing fingers that were there; it was her reminder of how close she came to losing everything and how hard she was going to fight to keep the people she deemed worthy of being her family.

Connington spent the trial talking on and on about everything that had happened. It appeared that she was right that these people were cowards, and Connington was confident now that he was granted mercy for his part in trying to kill Edric and the Baratheon's. Arya kept an eye on Edric, whom she knew was the angriest about this entire thing, but he set his jaw and didn't say a word. Connington explained how Lord Lannister reached out to all of them and how they all could gather enough power to pressure Daenerys into declaring war on the North and executing every single member of House Stark.

It bothered Arya more than she cared to admit that, in the end, this was all about her family. For so long, they were looking at connections to the Baratheon's and then the other Lesser Houses but now that it was all out in the open, it was them. A portion of this was put into motion the moment Joffrey had her father executed, and the thought that this all went back to that horrible day made her a little sick. Connington spoke about how they wanted to see the Iron Isles burn like there weren't people there, and Theon had to reach forward to put a hand on Yara's arm to stop her from jumping the table and cutting Connington's throat.

The evidence was hard to deny. The letters and Davos' completed cipher showed all of the houses spending the months after Cersei died planning this entire thing. This wasn't something that they planned on a whim. The moment that Daenerys took control of Westeros, they were in motion to make sure that this happened. Lord Lannister said nothing to defend himself, but he did spend the entire trial looking like he wanted to kill everyone in the room. Lord Redfort tried to appeal to Mya and the connection she once had to their house, but she raised an uninterested eyebrow and did nothing to defend him. Lord Royce glared and spoke about how Robin was a good man who was truly coming into his own who didn't deserve to die in pain the way he did.

Lord Bracken fell on his knees in front of Edmure, and Arya didn't think she had ever seen Roslin look as angry as she did at that moment. Arya actually thought Roslin was going to take the sword from Edmure's hip and take care of Lord Bracken herself, but Edmure did nothing to protect him. Bracken had spent most of his gold to buy nice things to bring to Riverrun when he took the castle. That gold was going to be hard to replace, but Daenerys promised any support she could to help Edmure. Lord Velayron tried his best to argue that Elemy wasn't a good witness which made Sansa and Theon look angrier than Arya was expecting. There wasn't a fake will, but there was evidence that they were planning on building ships so they could petition to be in charge of the royal navy.

In the end, Lord Lannister still did nothing to defend himself as the various Lesser Lords declared that they were loyal to the crown and to Daenerys and that they only wanted what was best for all of Westeros, but Daenerys glared them all into silence. She stood up and walked down the stairs from the Iron Throne. She stood before the handful of men that had caused so much pain, and she looked as angry as a dragon.

"You are not loyal to me," Daenerys snapped, and everyone in the room went silent. "If you were loyal, you would understand that war is never the answer. I made peace with both King Jon and Queen Yara because peace and alliances are the things that make Westeros strong. Not these petty squabbles between boys claiming to be men. We all lost and suffered during the previous wars, and the fact that your first instinct is to cause more war and more bloodshed is only proof that your values do not align with your Queen's. I find you all guilty of high treason against the crown, and for that, you will be put to death. I will not have your poisonous ideals go to Essos or anywhere else. I am Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, of the blood of Old Valyria, and with fire and blood, I will end your lives.

"However, I do not believe in the punishment of the children on behalf of their father's. I will be calling your sons and your daughters here, and if they can swear loyalty to me, then they may keep their holdfasts. If not, I will grant your family's peaceful exile from Westeros. Those are the terms of my ruling, and I will not allow anyone to try and force my hand again. I truly hope this is the last time we need to stand in this room and have a trial like this one," Daenerys said. She nodded to the guards who dragged all of the Lord's back to the Black Cells until it was time for their executions. Connington was smiling a little to himself, and Arya watched as Edric slowly got up and walked over to Daenerys, so they were standing side by side.

"Lord Connington," Edric said. "Our Queen has granted you mercy for the attempted murder of my family and me, is that true?" Arya frowned as she glanced at Gendry to see if he understood what was going on, but he was staring straight ahead. Mya and Bella had the exact same expression on their faces as well. Connington at least made an attempt to look like he was actually sorry for what he did to them.

"I will spend the rest of my life trying to make up that transgression, but I am humbled by the mercy of our Queen," Connington. Edric raised an eyebrow and glanced at Daenerys, who looked deeply unimpressed.

"Lord Connington, I granted you mercy for the crime of attempted murder of your Lord, and I will not go back on that ruling," Daenerys said, but Connington was starting to look a little nervous. "However, that was not your only crime. I hereby find you guilty of the crime of slavery. I am the Breaker of Chains, and I do not take kindly to men trying to throw people into bondage." Connington went white as a sheet as everyone in the room began to mutter to themselves.

"You granted me mercy!" Connington yelled. "You all saw her grant me mercy!"

"She granted you mercy for the attempt on my life and that of my siblings," Edric snapped. "But that wasn't your only crime; unlike your fellow members in this little conspiracy, you decided to sell us into slavery to a man that you would know would want to punish my family in Daenerys' name. Do you know what would have happened to my sister's if we weren't able to escape? Do you know what almost happened to one of them?" Connington fell to his knees as Edric stepped closer and closer. Bella sat up a little taller, and Arya wished they were sitting next to each other so she could reach over and take her hand.

"Not only that," Daenerys said, and there was that fury again. "You used a man's loyalty to me against my family. You knew that I did not hold Robert Baratheon's actions against his children, but you let Daario think that. You manipulated him, and you tried to sell my family into slavery, knowing it would be done in my name. I cannot think of a greater insult to me. So, yes, Lord Connington, I did grant you mercy for the attempt on my cousin's lives because I knew you would turn on your fellow criminals. As Lord Baratheon said, I did not grant you mercy for the slavery, and for that, you can join the rest of your traitors to meet dragon fire." Connington wailed as he was dragged away, saying that he was granted mercy and this was wrong, and someone needed to come to his defense, but none came. Edric watched him get dragged away with barely contained fury, and he briefly made eye contact with Arya.

Justice indeed.

+++

Daenerys had no patience to put off the execution of these traitors. She was so angry that they not only tried to trick her into a war, she's even angrier that they hurt her family to do it. It hurt her to see the wounds and scars that her cousins were going to carry for the rest of their lives. It hurt her to see how reluctant they were to leave each other's side. This justice was the very least she could do for her cousins, for Robin, who was taken from this world far too young, for the scar that Edmure would carry for the rest of his life. The very least she could do was not put off this execution any longer than she had to.

The ravens were sent out to the children of the various lord's and Daenerys already had a headache as she tried to think about what they were going to do with the Westerlands. She hoped that the children would swear and she wouldn't have to put anyone else in front of Drogon, but Daenerys would do whatever it took to prevent another war. She would do whatever it took to protect people.

The guilty lords were brought to the Dragon Pit as Drogon slowly circled the castle. She had asked Edric if he wanted to personally take care of Connington, but he declined. He said he was too angry and he would be doing it for the wrong reasons. Daenerys wasn't even sure she was doing this execution for the right reasons, but it had to be done. She could not let these men go to Essos and poison minds there. The risk was too great. As it was, she needed to make a trip to Meereen and remind the men there that she liberated them and she could just as easily seize power back. Daenerys resented Daario for what he did and how he thought for even a moment that she would want something like that.

There Pit was already full of the witnesses, and Daenerys called out to them as she said what these men were guilty of. She made eye contact with her cousins, with her nephew, and they all nodded. Quentyn stood tall but away from her. She was the Mother of Dragons, and this was an execution by a dragon. Drogon landed on the ground next to her, and several people let out gasps; some of them hadn't seen the dragon up close before. Some of them had no idea the power they were about to witness, and Daenerys was glad. It was time to remind Westeros that she was their Queen, and it would be in their best interests to remember that.

"Dracarys," Daenerys said as she watched the last of her enemy turn to ash.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Less than a year into his apprenticeship with Tobho Mott, Gendry managed to burn his arm pretty terribly in the forge. The pain almost seemed secondary to the smell of burning flesh and Mott running in once he started screaming. He was just a boy back then, but if there was one thing from that day that stuck with him, it wasn't the pain, though that was memorable, but the smell. The smell of burning human flesh was seared into his memory. That same smell was lingering in the Dragon Pit after Daenerys finished burning the people that had ruined the lives of him and his loved ones for so long. It was a strange moment that he didn't really know what to do with. They were gone, his enemies were gone, yet he didn't loosen his grip on Arya's hand, and the tightness in his chest didn't go away.

There was still so much to do, but Gendry didn't want to deal with any of it. He was only a knight, so the work that Edric, Mya, and Bella needed to do was different from the work he had to do. Unless ordered otherwise, he didn't have any duties. While the three of them still slept in the same rooms, they had worked on being away from each other for short periods of time. So when Gendry tugged Arya away from all of the politics so they could escape, she followed him without a word. He almost wanted to go out to Flea Bottom and to be around his people, but it was becoming more and more apparent that they weren't his people anymore. He could deny it as much as he wanted, but he was the son of a king and the husband to a princess.

Gendry wasn't sure why he decided to go to the gardens, but he was a little surprised to see Sansa and Theon already outside with little Elemy. She was a terrified little thing that barely came to him when he and Daenerys found her. She was so brave, and Gendry really felt for her because he knew all too well what it meant to have nothing. The three of them seemed to be having a private moment, so he stepped aside and went off in a different direction. Arya eventually released his hand and looped her arm into his, and they walked like a proper lord and lady.

"I want you to know that you don't have to come back to Winterfell right away," Arya said. "We haven't really had a chance to talk about it, but I can tell that you still need some more time, and that's fine. We'll send for Davos, and we'll all go to Storm's End together. When you're ready, we'll go home and not a moment earlier."

"I don't know what I did to have someone so understanding," Gendry said quietly, and he released a slow breath. "It's like the first weeks or months after the war ended. I keep waiting for someone else to come out and try to hurt my family or me. I keep thinking I'm going to see the Second Sons or Daario even though I know they aren't anywhere near here. I go to sleep, and I still wake up thinking I'm going to be on a boat back to Meereen and I'm going to be a slave. I can't seem to chase those memories away."

"Every time I close my eyes, I think I'm going to wake up to a world without you in it," Arya said after a long moment of silence. "That time that I thought you were dead, that I had really and truly lost you, were terrible. I thought that I would feel different if you were gone, and I didn't. I thought that meant something about what we were to each other that you were dead, and I didn't even know. You're my other half, and I should have known my other half was gone. It made me doubt us, even a little, and I hated that."

"It isn't fair," Gendry replied as they sat down on a bench a decent way into the gardens. There wasn't anyone nearby, and Gendry was glad for the quiet. "I just want a life with you. I just want us to have the time to live because neither of us has ever really gotten that opportunity, yet the world keeps throwing a bloody wrench into it. Every time I think we're safe, we aren't, and I don't know what to do to keep the people I care about safe."

"The first step is looking out for yourself and knowing that the people you love can look out for themselves too," Arya said. "You know I can fight, but I remember looking at you and your siblings standing on the beach. The four of you looked like warriors, and if you all weren't strong, you wouldn't have made it through all of that. So Edric, Mya, and Bella can take care of themselves too. So focus on you, for now, and we'll take care of the rest later." They leaned into each other and just drank in each other's presence. "Did you know about Connington?"

"We all did," he said. "We knew there was a chance that he would be the one to try and save his own hide even more so when he found out that we weren't dead. So we made a plan just in case. She even offered to let Edric be the one to kill Connington, but Edric didn't think he could do it for the right reasons. If Dany did it, it would be justice; if any of us did it, it would be revenge, and I think we've all had enough revenge in our lives." Arya hummed, and they leaned into each other. Gendry wasn't sure how long they were going to be in Storm's End before he was ready to go back to the North, and he wasn't sure how patient Arya could continue to be but, for now, the people that wanted to do him and his family harm were dust in the wind. He was safer; he knew he was safer; Gendry just wished he could convince his own mind of that fact.

+++

Jon was more than ready to go back to the North after two days of helping Daenerys and Yara put new members of the various traitor houses into power. When he was at his most angry, he wanted to wipe all of them off the face of the planet for hurting his family like that. They made Arya cry, and for that alone, he wanted them to burn. He couldn't do it, though, which meant trying to set everything up so this didn't happen again. Word had spread fast, and the three of them had been waiting to see if there would be some sort of uprising they were going to have to deal with. It looked like that wasn't going to be the case, which made Jon breathe a sigh of relief. Another war was the last thing that any of them needed right now.

It was late by the time Val made her way to their room, and she was a little pale as she walked into the room. Jon was on his feet in seconds because he didn't think he had ever seen that expression on Val's face before, and it frightened him.

"Are you all right?" he asked. Val wordlessly nodded as she sat down on the edge of their bed. Jon knelt down, so they were looking into each other's eyes and took her hands into his. "Val, you look like you're going to faint, and I've never seen you look like that before. What happened?"

"I went to see the maester," she whispered, and Jon felt his blood run cold. If she was sick, he wasn't sure what he was going to do. She was his closest friend, his partner, his Queen, and he didn't know how he was supposed to deal with her being ill. "Jon, I'm with child." Everything in the room seemed to stop as Jon stared at her with his mouth hanging open like a complete fool.

"You're with child?" he asked, and she nodded. "We're going to be parents." Val nodded again, and she seemed on edge like she wasn't sure how Jon was going to react to this bit of information. Jon threw his arms around her and kissed Val deeply. He pulled away and pressed his forehead to hers.

"You're happy?" she asked.

"I was a bastard who thought he was going to spend the rest of his life on the Wall," Jon whispered as he framed her face with his hands. "I never thought I would have the honor of having a wife and a family. It's something I never even considered, and even after we got married, I still couldn't wrap my head around it. Now you're sitting here and telling me that we're going to have a child, I'm going to be a father, and I couldn't be happier. Thank you for giving me such an amazing gift." Val laughed softly, and Jon used his thumbs to wipe away stray tears that were falling from her eyes.

"I should have known that you would react like that, Jon Snow," she said. They smiled softly at one another and leaned forward to kiss each other again. This was a lot slower, sweeter, and for the first time, Jon felt like he was going to fall in love with Val. They weren't there yet; he knew that they weren't, but he enjoyed being with her, and he couldn't ask for a better queen at his side to help rule the North. Val slipped her fingers into his hair and deepened their kiss. "You should know something," Val whispered against his lips as she slowly moved back onto the bed, and Jon could only follow her. "The midwife of the castle that worked with the maester told me that there is a good chance I'm going to crave my husband now that I'm with child." She nipped on his bottom lip, and Jon felt his hips jerk forward a little. "And she's right; I do crave my husband."

"Well, what kind of husband would I be if he denied my wife?" Jon replied as he settled between her legs. She moaned against his mouth, and she already sounded close from their kissing. As he worked both of their clothes off, Jon wondered if he was living in some sort of fever dream. He wondered if this was the fantasy he was seeing before he froze to death alone on the Wall. It was only a dream; it was one that he never wanted to wake up from.

+++

Sansa and Theon spent the next few days after the execution helping Daenerys, Jon, and Yara when they could and trying to get to know Elemy a little more. She still seemed quite taken with the two of them, and she helped Sansa braid her hair, and Sansa would braid hers in return. Elemy was obsessed with Sansa's long red hair and just couldn't get enough of playing with it and styling it in different ways. It got to the point that Sansa wouldn't let the maids braid her hair in the morning because Elemy was just going to take them out again. On the third day, they sat in the gardens after Missandei brought Elemy out for the day.

"Hi Sansa, hi Theon," Elemy said. As soon as Missandei walked away, it was like the little girl lit up, and Sansa loved it.

"Good morning," Theon said with an elaborate bow, which made her giggle. "What would you like to do this morning?"

"I'd like to braid Sansa's hair," Elemy said happily.

"Of course, you can braid my hair," Sansa replied as she settled down on the grass underneath a tree. Theon sat down as well, but Elemy hesitated. "What is it?"

"Theon, you don't braid my hair or Sansa's hair," she said.

"Oh, I don't know how to braid," Theon replied, and suddenly Elemy lit up again.

"I can teach you! You sit with me, and if Sansa says it's okay, I can use her hair to teach you how to braid. Then you can help Sansa with her hair," Elemy said. Theon glanced at her, and Sansa shrugged; it would be nice to have someone else who could help her with her hair and even more so at night.

"Okay, let's teach me how to braid then," Theon said. Elemy and Theon spent the next hour or so putting various braids into Sansa's hair. Theon was incredibly gentle as he braided and made sure to tell her when he was going to touch her in a different way. She appreciated that because having Elemy touch her was something that took some getting used to. After the hour, Theon seemed to have mastered how to do a basic braid and was far too proud of himself for doing so. Elemy laughed, and she looked happy but, after a moment, she suddenly looked sad again. Sansa reached over and took her hand,

"Elemy, what's wrong?" she asked.

"I can see the people getting your things ready, so you're going to be leaving soon. I'm just sad that I'm not going to see you again," Elemy replied. Sansa sucked in a breath and glanced at Theon; this was a conversation that they needed to have, but Sansa wasn't sure how to go about it. How do you casually ask a little girl if she would like to come live with you in a completely different place a hundred miles away? Then there was the fact that Sansa didn't know if Elemy was going to say yes, and she wasn't sure if her heart could handle a no. She came to care about this little girl in the last few days, and she didn't want to lose this connection that they had developed. Theon reached forward and took Sansa's hand to help ground her at this moment, and it was time to ask.

"Yes, Elemy, Theon, and I are going to be going home soon. We live in the North, in Winterfell, and it's a beautiful place. We love it there," Sansa explained, and Elemy began to pick at the grass. "I think you might love it there too." Elemy's head shot up so fast Sansa worried about her neck. "I know you said you don't have anyone to look after you, so Theon and I were wondering if you'd like us to look after you but only if you want."

"I could come with you? To Winterfell?" Elemy asked.

"Yes," Theon replied with a small smile. "Yes, you could come with us and stay with us. You could live in Winterfell and in the North with Sansa and me."

"Like a servant? Or a maid? You're a princess and a prince so you must need servants and maids, is that why you want me to come with you? I could help braid your hair every morning, Sansa," Elemy said, and Sansa felt her heartbreak that this little girl thought that she was only good for being a maid or a servant.

"No, Elemy, not as a servant, but as our ward. We want to make you part of our family," Sansa explained, and Elemy's eyes got even wider. "I know we can't ever be your mom and dad; please know that we won't ever try to be them, but we want to give you a home and somewhere safe to live and grow for as long as you want it. Would you like to come with us?" Elemy blinked and then threw herself into Sansa's arms and hugged her tightly.

"Yes," Elemy whispered. "Yes, I want to come with you. Please let me come with you. I feel so safe with you and Theon, and I want to feel safe with you in your home."

"It's going to be your home, too," Sansa whispered as she kissed the top of Elemy's head. She looked up at Theon, and he leaned over, so the three of them were all hugging. With that, yes, the two of them were parents to a brave little girl that had already lost so much. Sansa held onto her a little tighter and so glad that she wasn't going to have to give this up. She felt blessed, and for that, Sansa was eternally grateful that she came back to King's Landing and the Red Keep.

+++

The next few days were a blur that Arya had didn't really have a good handle on. Everything seemed to be happening while, at the same time, nothing seemed to be happening. Daenerys didn't have any problems getting the children of the Lesser Houses to swear allegiance when they realized exactly what was at stake. No one needed to be banished either, and Arya knew they were staying close mostly so they could make sure that war didn't break out because Daenerys had to execute all of these people. It was strange to walk around the Red Keep and realize that she could just live her life now, and no one was going to try and stop.

Well, at least that was the thought. Arya wanted to get back to the North because she didn't think that she would feel safe until she and Gendry were back in Winterfell. Gendry, however, while he had made progress in the recent months, he still wasn't ready to be away from his siblings, which meant she had to go to Storm's End. Arya was fine with it, or at least that was what she kept telling herself whenever she found herself getting angry. She was just so tired, and every single time that she thought she was going to get the chance to rest, she didn't.

The problem was that she knew Gendry could tell. He kept pointing out how patient she was being with him like he knew that her patience wasn't limitless. More than once, Gendry said that she could go back to the North, and he would come home as soon as he could. Each time he said those words like he would be okay with them being apart even more after all that they had been through, it hurt more than Arya could name. If she said something, Arya was worried that she would somehow set him back, and it would take even longer for them to get home.

Arya was sitting in the gardens by herself two days before Jon, Val, Sansa, and Theon were due to go back to the North. They had already sent a raven to Davos, who was with Marya and on his way back to the Storm's End. Sansa joined her, and the two of them sat down next to each other. The silence was nice, but Arya could tell that Sansa would tell her to tough it out, go to Storm's End, and be happy about it because that was the right thing to do.

"If you want to come back to the North without Gendry, it won't make you a bad wife or a bad person," Sansa said, and Arya jerked like someone had just hit her.

"We get to be together again; why wouldn't I do everything I can to stay with him?" Arya said, still so surprised that Sansa wasn't telling her to stick it out.

"Everyone is talking about what Gendry and his siblings went through because they wear their scars where everyone can see them," Sansa said, and she took Arya's left hand into her own. Much like Davos, Arya had started wearing a glove to hide the fact that she was missing several fingers. Arya watched as Sansa removed the glove and gently touched the stubs where the fingers were supposed to be. It was strange because Arya could have sworn that she could feel Sansa touching the fingers that weren't there anymore. "You went through a lot too, and you've been putting off your own healing for the sake of bringing the Baratheon's home and keeping everyone safe. You went through a lot, too, Arya, and there's no shame in feeling just as traumatized as the Baratheon's are. Your scars are just harder to see, and I know all about scars that aren't visible to the naked eye."

"I don't want to leave him," Arya whispered. "I'm scared that if I don't stay with him, then he'll never come home again, and I don't know how to deal with that."

"He'll come home when he's ready," Sansa replied, and the confidence her voice made the knot in Arya's stomach loosen a bit. "You can also come home whenever you want. If you go to Storm's End and don't want to stay long, that's fine. If you don't want to go to Storm's End at all, that's also fine. And if you want to wait for Gendry to heal so you can both come home, then that's fine too." Arya nodded, and the two of them sat quietly in the gardens for a little longer.

"You're getting very close to Elemy," Arya said carefully, and Sansa smiled softly. For a moment, Arya swore she wasn't looking at her sister but her mother.

"She's an amazing little girl, and she doesn't have anyone. Theon and I have decided to look after her. She's coming back to Winterfell with us," Sansa said. Arya blinked and realized that she had a new niece just like that. She always knew on some level that Sansa and Theon were going to take someone in someday; she just didn't know it was going to be so soon. Arya threw her arms around her sister, and the two of them held each other for a long time.

"You're going to be an amazing mom," Arya whispered, and she meant every single word. She wasn't sure when they both started crying, but here they were.

+++

Two days later, it was time for Jon, Val, Sansa, and Theon to go back to Winterfell. Arya had made her decision that she was going to stay with Gendry, and they were going to make the journey back to Winterfell together. Daenerys, Quentyn, Yara, Missandei, Gendry, and his siblings were all there to help see them off as well. Jon didn't look overly surprised that she was staying, but he pulled her into a tight hug.

"Come home soon, or you're going to miss it," Jon said, and everyone looked at him, frowning. He looked like he couldn't contain himself, and over his shoulder, Arya saw Val roll her eyes.

"He means he doesn't want you to miss your new niece or nephew because I'm with child," Val replied. There was a beat of silence, and then everyone began to talk at once. Arya didn't think she had ever seen her brother so happy, and she held onto him for a long time. Much like Sansa, Arya knew that Jon and Val were going to love and protect their child fiercely, and she deeply hoped that she would be home soon to see them. Gendry took her hand into his as they walked her family ride away; they would make for Storm's End in the morning, and Arya hoped that they could finally begin to heal.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Gendry wasn't surprised that they didn't stay in King's Landing much longer after the Stark's left. His siblings needed to get back to Storm's End so they could start fixing all of the things that Connington had ruined while they were gone. A raven had been sent to the castle once it was revealed that they were alive and then again when Connington was executed so the Stormlands knew what was happening. It was going to be a big deal, and Gendry was worried about how they were all going to react to all of the attention. There was a decent chance that one of them was going to have some sort of fit, and that was not something they could do in public. Right now, they needed to show strength, and no one could see how much they were hurting.

"Thank you for coming with us to Storm's End, Arya," Mya said as they began to make their way from King's Landing. Arya blinked and looked very confused. "You're not just supporting Gendry when you're coming with, but you're supporting all of us. We all appreciate it more than you could ever know."

"You're family," Arya replied, which wasn't quite an answer, and Gendry could see how tight her smile was. He needed to get over this separation issue, and he needed to do it fast. Even if he wasn't ready, Gendry knew that they couldn't stay at Storm's End long. He didn't think Arya could take it, and he didn't want to risk losing her. He would rather suffer in the North and know that she would be there and be okay than let her turn around and leave him. It was the thing that kept him awake at night because he was so conflicted; on the one hand, he wanted her close and all the time, but at the same time, he could tell that she didn't want to be at Storm's End.

The people of Storm's End were cheering when they rode through the gates. Gendry made sure that Edric, Mya, and Bella were all ahead of him because they were the rulers and not him. However, the blacksmiths all personally ran up to tell them how happy they were that he was back in Storm's End and asking how long he was going to stay. Gendry didn't have an answer for them, so he just smiled and said that he would come by to see them soon. It was a lot, but there was one thing that he was looking forward to, and they were waiting on the steps of Storm's End.

Davos and Marya were the first ones they wrote to when it was time to reveal that it was safe, and Gendry was positive that they left the day they got the message to come back to the south. Marya took one look at all of them and immediately burst into tears while Davos looked like he was trying to do his best not to do the same.

"When Princess Arya told me all of you were alive, I almost didn't believe it," Davos whispered as he looked them all over. "I'm sorry that--"

"Davos," Edric said as he held up a hand. One of his arms was still in a sling, and the process of building back motion in it was extremely painful and slow going. It required patience, which his little brother very much did not have. "You did absolutely nothing wrong. They fooled everyone, and there were forces at work that you couldn't have protected us from. You have nothing to feel guilty about, and I refuse to allow you to even think that."

"We're just glad to be home and to see both of you," Mya said, and that was apparently the thing that broke both of the Seaworth's. One moment they were all standing together, and the next, they were all in some massive six-person hug. Gendry looked over his shoulder, and he could see Arya watching them with a warm smile. It was the happiest she had looked since they had reunited, and it eased a little something in Gendry's chest.

Marya immediately began to fret over each of them and their various wounds and scars. None of them had a lot of experience with having attentive parents, so the fact that Davos and Marya both appeared to switch into parent mode immediately was nice. Gendry held out his hand to Arya, and she threaded their fingers together. Gendry followed the Seaworth's and his siblings back into Storm's End. The Seaworth's were going to hover for the foreseeable future, but Gendry found that he didn't mind. If there was anyone he could tolerate the hovering for, it was Davos and Marya.

+++

Even though Gendry knew it was ridiculous, he still hoped that being back in Storm's End would somehow make everything better again. He thought that maybe being in a familiar place with people he knew around him would make this easier, but everything in the castle was just a little off. Connington had done little things to make the place his own, and Gendry didn't know how he felt about them. All of their things were in locked trunks in the dungeons, and Gendry felt his heart break a little when he saw that the trunk his things were in was cracked, and some moisture got in. He didn't care about the clothes, but Mott's tools were in there, and some of them had rusted. Arya was with him when he found them, and she placed a hand on his shoulder.

"They're ruined," Gendry said softly. He didn't know why this was bothering him so much; it wasn't like he was ever going to use the tools, but it was making that knot form in his stomach again, and for half a second, he thought he was going to be ill.

"If someone let Needle or Thread or anything you ever made me rust, I would be reacting the same way," Arya replied. Gendry looked over his shoulder at her and offered a watery smile. Arya leaned forward and kissed him on the forehead, but it didn't bring comfort. She was still looking tired and like she didn't want to be there. Gendry knew that he could read Arya, he was sure that he could still read her, and he knew that she didn't want to be here, but she didn't say anything. Part of him still wanted her to just go back to the North so she could be happy and he would come home as soon as he could, but another part of him was so sure that Arya wouldn't want him back.

The thoughts plagued him as the days went by and hung over his shoulders like a winter cloak in the middle of the summer. It felt stifling, and he couldn't chase them away. Arya was quiet, and she didn't say much. She didn't smile as much as she usually did, and when Edric asked if she wanted to train with him, she said no. Gendry felt his blood run cold when Arya turned Edric down to train; he couldn't remember the last time she said no to training. The days turned into weeks, and before long, almost a full moon turn had gone by. Gendry started sleeping in his own room, but he kept waking up from nightmares. He couldn't stop thinking about the sword going into his gut the night they were stolen from here. Gendry couldn't sleep, but he laid completely still in bed so Arya wouldn't know. He wanted her to think that he was sleeping just fine.

Bella was the one who noticed, and she gestured for him to follow her to the top of the tower. Edric had trouble climbing, and once he was downstairs, he was avoiding climbing the stairs for the rest of the day if he could. Mya was in town on official business, and Arya said she wanted to go for a walk down by the water. Gendry had wanted to offer to go with her, it would have been good for them to go together, but instead, he silently nodded and watched her walk away. She was just going to the beach, Arya would be back, and it still felt like she was walking away forever. It still felt like he was losing her, and he hated it.

"You aren't sleeping," Bella said as they sat down. Gendry could see the blade on her waist, and her hair was styled in a way that covered her missing ear. Gendry made sure he was sitting on the side where she could still hear and looked down at his hands.

"I need to get better at it if we're going to go home to the North," Gendry replied

"That's not an answer," Bella said, and she narrowed her eyes. "Do you want to go back to the North, or do you want to stay here?"

"Arya, she wants--"

"What do you want?" Bella insisted, and Gendry winced. "Little brother, Arya wouldn't want you to do this to yourself. She loves you, and she wants you to be happy."

"I'll be happy when she's happy, and she's unhappy here. We need to go back to the North, and once I'm there, I'm sure I'll be fine," Gendry insisted. Bella sighed heavily and reached forward to take his hand into hers. "Bella, I can't lose her. I can't keep letting this thing follow me around and ruin my life. I've lost too much to Connington, Daario, and the Lannister's as it is. I lost a year of my life; I can't let them take anything more from me, and I can't let them take her from me. We need to go back to the North, and I'm going to ask Ser Davos to prepare a ship for us. We should leave within the next few days."

"You know you can always come here if you need us," Bella said softly. "I need both of my little brothers, and I hope you know that just because you aren't here in Storm's End and you don't have our name that you're our brother, and nothing is going to change that. You're family." Gendry wanted to tell her that he had family in the North too, but they felt like a lie. He wasn't sure how Jon or Sansa or any of them could forgive him for continuing to hurt Arya. He didn't know what to say, so he didn't say anything, and he and Bella stayed on the roof of the tower until Mya and Arya found them later.

At dinner that night, Gendry told Ser Davos that he and Arya were going to leave for the North in a few days, and for the first time, Arya looked brighter. It felt like someone dropped an ingot of metal in his stomach, and Gendry ignored it. It would be fine.

+++

Arya didn't want to tell Gendry how much she did not want to be at Storm's End right now. All she could think about when she walked around the castle was Connington preening around after he nearly got Gendry and the others killed. All she could think about was how the rug in the solar was different because the last one was too stained with their blood. She thought about it again when the Baratheon's found all of their things in locked trunks in the dungeon. Gendry's things were ruined, and the tools he took from Mott's all of those months ago were rusted. He looked devastated by that, and she didn't know how to help him.

She didn't know how to help him at all. Arya had secretly hoped that being in Storm's End would help Gendry, but every day, he seemed to pull further and further away from her. She went for long walks along the beach, and every time she wanted to ask him to come with her. Arya wanted him to ask if he could come with her, and every time he didn't. He vanished for hours one day until she and Mya found him and Bella on the top of the tower. When Gendry mentioned that he was ready to go back to Winterfell, Arya was relieved, but she was also worried. He didn't seem better, but being here wasn't helping. Maybe being back in the North, away from all of the bad memories, would make things better. Arya had to hope that things would get better.

Arya held each of the Baratheon's and Marya tightly as they got ready to leave. She promised that she would come to visit but made sure not to say that she would visit soon. The south still felt unsafe, it still felt like their enemies were lurking in the shadows, and Arya knew that she would feel safer if nothing else in the North. Davos helped them get their things onto the ship, and Arya followed him onto the boat to give Gendry some time to talk to his siblings alone. Arya watched from the ship as the four of them talked, and she wondered if he was going to actually get on the ship. There was a chance that he would stay, she knew that, and Arya didn't know if she had the strength to figure out an argument to get him to come with her.

"You're going to be okay," Davos said, and his voice made Arya jump. She almost forgot that she wasn't alone on the ship. "I know it doesn't seem like you're going to be okay, but you will be. It's going to take time and hard work, but it's going to happen."

"I hope he will be," Arya replied.

"I didn't just mean Gendry," Davos said, and Arya turned to look at him. She remembered that he was the one who saw her separation to get Gendry back more than anyone. He was the one who watched her frantically try to track down some evidence to bring him home. If anyone knew what she went through, it was Davos. Arya didn't say anything, and she tried not to show how surprised she was when Gendry picked up Mott's tools, turned his back on his siblings and Storm's End, and got on the boat. He stayed and watched his siblings, and the castle faded into the horizon. Arya watched them fade too and disliked how much better she felt when Westeros faded from the horizon line.

+++

Arya was thankful that the trip on the boat was uneventful, but she also knew that Gendry wasn't telling her something. It took a full day for her to notice just how lethargic he was and how dark the circles under his eyes were. How had she missed those circles? They wouldn't be that pronounced if he were sleeping at Storm's End, but she didn't notice them. He was still and held her at night, and Arya thought he was sleeping fine, yet here was the evidence that he wasn't. When she tried to confront him about it, Gendry brushed it off.

"It's just some nightmares," Gendry said like that wasn't a big deal. "It's being away from Storm's End that must be causing them. I'm sure they'll pass soon." Arya felt her blood run cold because Gendry just lied to her. She knew that he didn't just get one bad night's sleep, yet here he was looking her in the eye and lying. They didn't lie to each other, and Arya refused to accept that telling Gendry was fine with staying in Storm's End as long as he needed to wasn't a lie. She was fine with it; she just didn't want to be there. There was a difference, but now he was lying to her. That patience that Gendry said she had for him was starting to wear thin. Arya didn't want to be angry at him, but the fact that he looked her in the eye and lied would not leave her alone.

Davos kept giving them strange looks, and Arya saw him talking to Gendry a few times, but she never learned what they talked about. It was a strange journey because she spoke with Gendry all the time, but it felt like they weren't saying anything to each other at all. They slept together at night and even hugged and kissed, but it felt like they were just going through the motions. Arya's heart wasn't into it, and she could tell that Gendry's wasn't either. Davos kept reminding her that they were going to get through this, and she kept agreeing with him because the thought that they wouldn't wasn't something she could cope with.

They were less than a day from White Harbor when Arya realized that Gendry might not get better. She might have to spend the rest of her life pushing her own things aside to help take care of him, and the weight of that felt like it was going to crush her. She was one woman, and she had her own things she needed to deal with. The time that Arya thought Gendry was dead and then wondering if she was ever going to find him again were some of the worst of her life. She remembered how Sansa, Bran, and Jon didn't want her to go because they thought she was going off to die. It hadn't dawned on her at the time that if they had asked if she was all right dying on the journey, she would have been. The loss of her fingers barely registered because, in some ways, she wanted to die. Arya had lost so much in her life, and she didn't think she could handle that loss. So maybe she did want to go on the journey west because she knew, on some level, that it might fail and she would die, and the constant ache of this life would finally be over.

Arya didn't know how to cope with any of that, and she didn't know how to make Gendry feel better either. She felt pulled in too many directions, stretched thin, and almost made of glass. There were cracks, and Arya wondered when another crack would cause her to shatter. She wondered what shattering would even look like.

They got to White Harbor and said goodbye to Davos. He made Gendry promise to write once a moon, and Gendry agreed. Before this journey, Arya would have assumed he was telling the truth, but he was still telling her that he was sleeping fine when she knew he wasn't. There were horses waiting for them, and they made their way through the North toward Winterfell. Arya breathed deep and tasted the crisp air of home. There were enemies here, but she could trust more people here than she could in the south. She glanced at Gendry as they rode and tried to see if he looked any different.

"It's the opposite of Essos," Arya said, and Gendry looked up at her. "The weather, it's nothing like Essos. Maybe try focusing on that?"

"Thank you, I will," Gendry replied, which was what he was supposed to say, but Arya could tell that he didn't mean the words. They had more empty conversations, and the days they spent on the road until they got to Winterfell. Nymeria and her wolfpack tracked them down, and Nymeria looked torn, like she wasn't sure which of them needed her to look after them. Arya wanted to tell her to look after Gendry, but Nymeria stuck herself to Arya's side and didn't leave her. Arya tried not to think about what all of that meant. Gendry didn't say anything either, and it was just another thing that they didn't talk about.

Arya was glad to see Winterfell in the distance. She had to believe that things would get better in Winterfell, that they would get better because all of this was starting to get to her. When she asked Gendry how he was doing, he would reply with a simple 'fine,' and they would move on. [Arya did not think about the fact that she replied the same way when Gendry asked her the question, she did not.] There was quite a commotion when they arrived back at Winterfell, and as much as Arya wanted to talk to everyone and let Gendry talk to everyone, she needed to get inside and possibly in her room right away. Gendry smiled graciously and promised he would explain what had happened someday, but right he wanted to go get some sleep.

There was a more private greeting of family members and everyone welcoming Gendry home again. His smile was just as empty as his words, and he once again lied to all of them when he said that he was doing much better. He wasn't, he was just as bad as he ever was, and Arya felt like she was getting worse too. She didn't know how to take care of him and herself. So they both continued to exist and didn't talk.

+++

It was nearly a moon later, and Arya couldn't remember a time when she and Gendry were fighting more. It was constant, and nothing either of them did seemed to make it better. They were avoiding each other and bickering in the few moments they saw each other at meals or when they went to bed. There was a time or two that Gendry never came back to their room and slept in a tiny cot in the forge. Their fights were getting louder, nastier, and they were both starting to go for soft spots. The fights were stupid, Arya knew they were stupid, but she couldn't stop herself. The night before Gendry had finally said the words, "maybe it would be better for both of us if I went back to Storm's End for a while," and despite those words being her worst nightmare, Arya's anger and the pain were too much and she spat back the words "maybe you should."

They were breaking their fast as a family, and everyone looked a little uncomfortable. Things had been tensed for a long time now, and Arya knew that the tension between them was making it worse. It made Gendry sloppy in the forge, so he made stupid mistakes, and it made Arya careless in training, so she got frustrated. He wouldn't talk to her [and she wouldn't talk to him, but Arya couldn't think about that], and it was all just too much.

"That's it," Val said. Everyone turned and looked at her. Her stomach was beginning to swell with child, and Arya caught Jon gently touching it like he couldn't believe that this was really happening to him. "Arya, Gendry, pack some bags with warm clothes. We leave in an hour."

"Leave? Where exactly are we going?" Arya asked.

"I'm taking you both beyond the Wall. You're going to spend some time there, alone and together until you sort all of this out," she said. Gendry frowned and looked like he was about to say that they couldn't do that when Val glared at both of them. "As your Queen, I command you. Pack your bags and bring warm clothes; it gets cold even at this time of year beyond the Wall."

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

When Val said they were leaving, she meant that they were leaving right now. Arya followed Gendry up to their room to pack, and when they were done fast enough, Val stood in their doorway and glared at them until they were done. No one else in the family said anything about it, and little Elemy watched this entire thing like she didn't quite understand what was going on. Her brown hair was up in familiar Northern braids, and one of the dresses she was wearing looked like one of the dresses Arya would have worn at her age. It made her think of her mother and her father and everyone that they had lost. It made her think about how her family was so much smaller than it was.

Then she remembered that her family wasn't smaller. Theon had always lingered on the edge of their family, never quite belonging and always looking like he was afraid that her father would kill him if he looked the wrong way. Arya couldn't imagine growing up and knowing that the people who were raising you could have you killed at a moment's notice. Meera was there now, and Jojana was continuing to grow. She looked so much like Rickon at times that it made Arya's heart hurt. Brienne was a quiet and strong presence at Winterfell, and one that Arya knew would keep everyone safe. Brienne was teaching her how to fight now that her fingers were missing, and those training sessions brought Arya a sense of normalcy that made it easier to get up in the morning. Val was there now, and while her and Jon might not love each other just yet, Arya could tell that Val thought of them as family. That was why she was dragging Arya and Gendry out to beyond the Wall.

Arya glanced at Gendry as he put all of his belongings and his hammer on the horse. He was her family; she knew that even if she couldn't find the right words to talk to him right now. And that was just her family in the North. Edmure, Roslin, and Medgar were at Riverrun. Mya, Bella, and Edric were at Storm's End, Yara and Asha were at the Iron Isles, and Daenerys was at King's Landing. Her family was smaller and bigger, and while some of them were far away but they were there. She just needed to figure out how to talk to Gendry, and maybe they could sort all of this out. Everyone came out to tell them goodbye, but Jon was fretting.

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Jon asked. He was being a little overprotective now that Val was pregnant, but she wasn't having any of it, and Arya didn't blame her.

"Free Women ride until we're ready to give birth, Jon," Val replied. "But since I know you'll spend the entire time worrying, I asked a few of the Free Folk visiting Winterfell to come with me." Jon did look relieved, and they leaned down to kiss each other softly. When Val turned to them, she looked like a warrior again, even with her small rounded belly. "Follow me." Gendry glanced at the forge, and Arya thought he was going to insist on staying behind, but he eventually followed Val out of Winterfell. A few members of the Free Folk, including Corwin, were coming too. Gendry looked surprised to see him, and the two of them spent most of the day talking about getting Rhaegal flying again. Arya tried not to be resentful of the fact that talking about the dragon with someone he didn't know that well was the most engaged Gendry had sounded in weeks.

She tried not to be resentful about it and very much failed.

+++

Val might have been pregnant, but she set a brutal pace toward the Wall, and Arya couldn't deny that she was impressed. Aside from the belly, Val wasn't acting any different, and she pushed for them to get to Wall and beyond as quickly as possible. The gate at Eastwatch was monitored by the few remaining people who decided to make sure everyone who wanted to pass through could. Val stopped and spoke to a few Free Folk who were migrating south and told them where to go to meet up with the rest of the Free Folk. They didn't call her Queen, but they listened and looked at her like they respected her as a leader which was about the best any of them could hope for when it came to the Free Folk just joining the other beyond the Wall. Val leaned down and whispered something to the men minding the gate. They nodded, and just like that, they were beyond the Wall.

Arya wasn't sure what she was expecting going beyond the Wall. For so many years, it was this thing that she never thought she would get the chance to do, and here she was just walking through like there wasn't going to be any problems. There were still more Free Folk that decided not to come south, but Val wouldn't take them here if it wasn't safe. She was fairly sure that Val wouldn't take them here if it wasn't safe anyway. They rode for another full day until they stopped to make camp for the night.

"We'll be leaving in the morning," Val said after they ate dinner and camp was set up for the night. "I've left you some supplies, including a way to fish from the river nearby. Don't go out onto the ice, or you might fall through. It's warmer right now, and the ice might be thin."

"How long exactly are you planning on leaving us here?" Gendry asked.

"A month," Val replied. Arya stared at her because she couldn't have heard that right. There was no way they were just going to leave them beyond the Wall for a month. "And that includes travel time, so don't think that means you can come back to Winterfell once the month is over. That means you are not permitted south of the Wall for a month. I have informed the men at the gates that they aren't to let you two through." Arya didn't play this card at all, but right now, it seemed like a perfect time.

"I'm a princess--"

"And I'm a Queen," Val snapped. "I will not have you two moping around Winterfell while Sansa and Theon try to adjust to being parents, while Meera and Bran continue to try and raise Jojana, and while I'm fucking pregnant. I will not stand for it, so you're going to stay here for a month until you've figured out how to talk to each other again. You both met living off of the land; now you get to meet each other again while living off of the land." Val stood up and walked into her tent without a word. Corbin shrugged and climbed into the tent that he was sharing with the other Free Folk. That was apparently the end of the conversation. Arya glanced at Gendry, and he looked right back at her. She didn't know what to say, so she said nothing as they both climbed into their shared tent and went to sleep.

The camp was empty by the time they woke up, and the wind had already blown most of Val's trail away. Arya sighed as she looked around; they were in the middle of the woods, and she knew there was a frozen river to the west of them, according to Val. It was silent as the wind blew, and there were very few animals roaming around. The dead had killed most of the wildlife beyond the Wall, but the reports from the remaining Black Brothers said that some must have survived, and it seemed like they were coming back. She looked at Gendry and began to look through the supplies that Val left them in total silence.

They managed not to talk to each other until it was high noon, and Arya couldn't stand the silence anymore.

"Do you want to leave me?" she asked because that was the thing that they really needed to talk about. Gendry frowned like he was confused by the question.

"Of course I don't," he replied. "I never want you to leave in any capacity, but I feel like I'm going to lose you regardless of what I do."

"You feel like you're going to lose me," Arya repeated as they both sat down in front of the fire. "Well, Gendry, I already lost you once, and you can't seem to realize what that was like for me." Gendry didn't say anything as he warmed his head by the fire. "I thought you were dead for months. I was never sure you were really alive until we saw each other on that beach. I hoped, I prayed to every single God, Old, and New, that you were alive, but I didn't know for sure until I saw you. Do you know what it was like thinking you were dead? How would you react if you thought I was dead?"

"It would destroy me," Gendry replied without hesitating. "I don't know how I'd keep going if I thought you were dead."

"Which is why I didn't care about the risks when it came to going west," Arya replied, and it was the first time she had really said those words out loud. "Either you were alive, and I was going to bring you home, or you were dead, and it didn't matter if a Kraken sank the ship, and I died because you were gone, and I didn't want to keep going." Arya didn't even realize she was crying until Gendry reached forward and brushed some of her tears away. "I know you're still hurting; I can't imagine what you went through, but I lost you once, and it nearly killed me, and right now, I feel like I'm going to lose you again."

"And you can't go through that again because you already had to go through it once," Gendry replied softly, and Arya nodded. They looked at each other for half a breath, and then Arya let Gendry hold her. They stayed like that in front of the fire, just holding each other for the rest of the day. They hardly said anything else to each other and went to sleep that night with a little less distance between them.

+++

It took a week before Gendry finally sat down to talk to her. Arya was a little surprised because she thought she would have to drag it out of him. She said her piece or at least part of it, and that was the best she could hope for right now. He needed to bring some things up if this was going to work. They had just finished fishing for the day when Gendry frowned as he looked at the fire.

"It hurt you when I told you that I tried not to think about you when I was in Essos," Gendry said, and he didn't make it a question.

"It did," Arya replied, "because you were all I could think about."

"I'd like to explain why," Gendry said carefully. Arya sat down next to him, close enough to touch but not quite touching him. She didn't know if that was what he wanted right now, and she didn't want to accidentally end this conversation before it even started. "I didn't want to think about you because it hurt too much. As far as everyone in Westeros was concerned, I was dead, and you were officially a widow. There was no indication to anyone that I was alive, and Daario made sure of that. He didn't want anyone to know we were alive because then someone might come looking for us. He wanted us as nameless slaves because he thought there wouldn't be a more fitting punishment for Daenerys, the Breaker of Chains, to see the children of her enemy in chains. And we were going through hell, and all I could think about was getting back to you. Then we had to run, and I realized I wasn't going to make it back to Westeros. I was going to get to go home.

"And when I thought about you, I thought about you moving on," Gendry continued. "I knew you and Davos, and everyone wouldn't rest until you realized who killed me, but that didn't mean anyone was going to figure out that the bodies in the crypts weren't us. I thought about how I wanted you to be happy and maybe find someone else. It was like losing a limb, but I was so grateful to know that you were safe in the North, and none of the bullshit that happened to me was going to touch you. All I could think about was you moving on and me showing up years, decades, later and ruining your new life. I don't know what would have hurt more; me being the reason you were unhappy or seeing someone else make you happy."

"You have to know I would never give up on you," Arya whispered, and Gendry reached over to take her hand into his. He threaded their fingers together, and Arya could feel how much his pulse was racing.

"It wasn't giving up on me if I was dead, and as far as I knew, everyone in Westeros, including you, thought I was dead. Moving on is what happens when people we love die. You might always have a piece missing, and it'll always hurt, but you move on because you have to." Gendry looked up into her eyes. "You know that as much as I do." Arya wanted to argue that it wasn't true, but she thought about losing her father, her mother, Robb, Rickon, about all of the family that she didn't get the chance to say goodbye to and how their loss still hurts, but she is able to live. "I wasn't ready to come North yet, but I came anyway because I could tell you didn't want to be in Storm's End, and I thought if I stayed and you went, that would be it."

"Why didn't you tell me any of this?" Arya asked.

"Why didn't you?" Gendry replied, and they stared at each other.

"You're healing, you're hurting, and I didn't want to burden you," Arya replied.

"And I didn't want you to have the excuse to give up on me," Gendry said as he sighed heavily. "The man who went to Storm's End after the trial isn't the one who came back and isn't the one you married. I hardly recognize myself, so I didn't know how you could recognize me. You didn't sign up for someone this difficult when Beric married us all of those years ago," Arya took her hand from his and framed Gendry's face with her hands so she could look into those blue eyes that had been captivating her since the day they met in King's Landing.

"Nothing about us has ever been easy, and I wouldn't have it any other way. This thing that happened to us, it's awful and terrible and another thing to add to the long list of awful and terrible things that have happened to us, but we prevailed when we were younger and dumber. I think we can prevail now." Gendry reached up to take her wrists into his hands, and for half a moment, she thought he was going to push her away. Instead, he leaned forward, so their foreheads were touching, and they were sharing the same breath.

"I promise to tell you the things going on in my mind, confident that I'm not going to chase you away," Gendry said, and Arya felt her heart skip a beat.

"I promise to tell you everything that I'm feeling, knowing that while it might be a burden, it's one that I know you're strong enough to carry," Arya whispered. They both huffed laughter that sounded like they were closer to sobs and finally closed the distance between them. Arya couldn't remember the last time they kissed, and she certainly couldn't remember the last time a simple kiss made her feel this breathless. Her hands moved from framing Gendry's face to threading through his hair as he moved to her waist. There wasn't any urgency behind this kiss because they both needed time to explore each other again.

The night wind blew, and they both shivered as the fire was not quite enough to keep them both warm. They wordlessly put the fire out, packed everything that needed to be packed, and then climbed into the tent. The distance didn't seem that bad anymore, and when she settled into their shared bedroll, Gendry pulled her in for a kiss that left her toes curling. They didn't go to sleep for hours as they kissed and touched each other like it was the first time all over again. Gendry sucked a bruise into her neck, muttering against her skin that it would fade by the time they were allowed south again. Arya whispered against his lips that she would proudly wear any mark that he gave her because it meant they belonged to each other.

Neither of them moved to take off their clothes, and while Arya could feel that warm feeling between her legs and Gendry was hard at her hip, they didn't go to touch each other. Not yet, it was too soon, but they held each other as they slept, and Arya smiled as she fell asleep with kiss swollen lips for the first time in ages.

+++

It didn't get easier from there, but it did feel like they could finally have a conversation. They wanted to talk to each other, they wanted to share each other's pain, and that made it so much easier to tell all the details that would have hurt. Arya talked at length about what it was like knowing that Gendry was dead and how much she thought her world was going to end. Gendry talked about crossing Essos with his sisters and brother, having to remove Edric's foot to save his life, and sadly having to watch his sisters learn how to take a life. Arya had to admit that there really was something about being alone in the wilderness that made it easier for them to talk to each other. They even talked about things that happened before the trial.

"No one in the North thinks I'm good enough for you," Gendry said as they cuddled in their tent in the middle of their third week. They hadn't stayed in one spot, and instead, they packed up their things, saddled up their horses, and went off to explore the lands beyond the Wall. Arya opened her mouth to tell him that it didn't matter to her, but Gendry held up a hand to silence her. "I know it doesn't matter to you, I know it doesn't matter to your family, but you have to understand that that opinion probably isn't going anywhere anytime soon. So sometimes I'm going to think I'm not good enough, and just repeating that I am isn't enough. In fact, it just makes it worse."

"I hate seeing you upset, and when people say vile things about you, you get upset," Arya explained. "How can I help?"

"Just listen," Gendry replied. "I know your first instinct is to go out and punch anyone who says a bad word about me, but we can't do that. So just listen because as much as I don't want to admit it, this isn't something you can fix. It's me not believing it, and it's me that needs to learn how to move past it someday. When you try to force me to believe, I just believe it even less." Arya sighed and held onto him a little tighter. He was right, her first instinct was to go out and punch the people that spoke badly about him, and her second was to tell him that he was worthy. Yet here he was asking her not to tell him that.

"If that's what you need, then I can do that for you," Arya replied, and just like that, another thing that had tainted their marriage for so long was dealt with. She couldn't believe that they'd been living half-lives for so long, and they never really learned how to talk to each other. Arya guessed it had something to do with the many years they spent on the run, they had to bury a lot of pain, and on the way, she figured that they must have buried the way to have deep conversations.

It was three days into the last week that they would spend beyond the Wall when Gendry slipped a cold hand beneath her shirt. Arya jerked, and he immediately pulled away like he had burned her.

"No, no, come back," Arya said, reaching for him. "Your hand was cold, and it surprised me, that's all. Please, come back." Gendry watched her carefully but eventually settled into the bedroll that they shared. They hadn't done more than kiss and hold each other the entire time they were out here, and Arya was fine with that. Well, she was fine with that thirty seconds ago; right now, she wanted Gendry more than anything. He looked into her eyes, and they widened slightly, but he pressed a deep kiss to her lips. While their kisses in recent weeks were deep and passionate, this kiss was wet, full of heat, and intent. "I want you," she whispered against his lips.

"I want you too," Gendry whispered as he sucked a bruise into the tender part of her neck. Arya couldn't remember the last time he had marked her so much, but there wasn't anyone out here to judge them for the bruises. They began to fumble out of their clothing like they were teenagers, and it would have been comical if Arya wasn't about to go out of her mind with need. She wanted his mouth on her, but the tent wasn't quite warm enough for that. Later, when they got back to Winterfell, she wanted to take their time and really touch each other. Gendry slipped his hand between her legs, and while his hands were rough in a different way now, they still drove her out of her mind. Arya peaked and cried out, not worrying about anyone hearing them. They were alone out here, and nothing could get in the way.

It took some awkward moving around for them to figure where various limbs needed to go so they could stay inside the bedroll, but Arya arched her back when Gendry pushed inside of her. She kissed down the scar on his face and held onto him so tight that she was sure she was going to leave bruises. Arya looked into his eyes, and while this trip hadn't fixed them, it was like she was seeing Gendry for the first time in so long. He reached down to touch her, and Arya peaked again as Gendry followed her seconds later. They were both breathing hard, and the sweat on their skin was going to be miserable once their pulses slowed down, but they grinned at each other like idiots. Arya pulled Gendry down to kiss him, but it was hard to kiss someone when neither of you would stop smiling.

+++

The end of the final week came, and it was the warmest night they had had the entire time they were beyond the Wall. It took some work, but they managed to set out their things so they could lie back and look at the stars. The only sounds around them were the quiet breathing of their horses, the wind, and each other. Arya felt like they were connected again, and while she knew there was still a lot of pain to heal, they were going to be okay someday. She didn't know when but someday.

"How angry do you think we would make everyone if we just didn't come home?" Gendry asked.

"Absolutely furious," Arya replied. "Though I have to admit seeing a pregnant Val dragging you back to Winterfell by your ear would be very entertaining to watch." Gendry retaliated by tickling her until Arya had to beg for mercy. Gendry was leaning over her, and she could see the halo of the moon behind him with the stars looking brighter than they even did back in Winterfell. He was beautiful, and it took her breath away. Arya reached up and cupped his cheek with her hand. "If we stayed, it would be taking the easy way out."

"I know," Gendry replied as he pressed a soft kiss to her palm and the stubs where her fingers were missing. "It's harder to be around people and having to navigate responsibilities and relationships." The unspoken thing between them now was that all of those things might be harder, it would be easier to hide beyond the Wall, but they both knew they could count on each other again. Arya pulled Gendry down for a kiss until it got too cold, and they had to escape into their tent. They had to face the world again, but she was more sure than ever that they could handle it. "I love you," Gendry whispered against her lips.

"I love you too," Arya replied. They settled down to get some sleep, and in the morning, they would begin to make their way back to Eastwatch; it was time to go home.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

In the end, Gendry knew that they couldn't hide beyond the Wall forever, but it was a nice thing to think about. They were let through the gates without any issues and made their way south to Winterfell. Nymeria caught up with them halfway through the trip, and she put herself at his back as they slept like she used to when they first got to the North. He guessed that he would always be a pup to her that needed to be protected. The trip back home was nice and casual, and they didn't have any issues at all. There was a bit of a knot in his stomach when Winterfell came into view, but Gendry forced himself to breathe through it. He and Arya made promises to each other, and he was planning on keeping them.

The entire family was waiting for them to arrive since, apparently, the men at the Wall sent word as soon as they started south. Everyone looked a little tense at first, but what they had talked about and figured out beyond the Wall must have been apparent to everyone. They all relaxed, and Elemy ran forward, and Gendry scooped her up in his arms. She reached forward and gently touched the scar on his face. In their first days back, Elemy and her honesty when it came to his face was a balm to a burn that he didn't even know existed. He had a hard time talking to people but didn't have a hard time talking to her. She touched the scar and framed her face with her hands.

"You look better, Uncle Gendry," she said, and Gendry nodded.

"Yeah, little one, I feel better," he replied softly. He was about to put her down when he looked down and saw Jojana tugging on his pants, and apparently, he was the one who was going to carry the children back into the castle. He raised an eyebrow at Meera, Bran, Sansa, and Theon, but they all looked innocent. He still wasn't as strong as he used to be, but he could easily carry a five-year and a toddler in each arm. Gendry watched as Arya held onto her family tightly and Val whispered a few words to her. He really needed to thank Val for dragging them beyond the Wall like she did. She might have saved them.

The days weren't always easy. Gendry still had times when it felt like he was missing a piece of himself because he couldn't see Mya, Edric, and Bella, but they sent ravens to each other constantly. Davos also wrote regularly and told Gendry the things that his siblings wouldn't say, like when they had nightmares and if anyone got punched for insulting the way they looked. The answer to both of those questions turned out to be "yes" most of the time. It made him smile to think of Bella, the pretty one that everyone thought was a proper lady, pulling out a dagger that was hidden in her dress and threatening to gut a handsy lord. 'Ours is the Fury; indeed,' Gendry would write back when he would read those things.

The people around Winterfell didn't talk as much, and according to the other people who worked at the castle that they saw how miserable Arya was when he was gone, and they decided that he made her happy. They wanted their princes to be happy after everything House Stark went through. It wasn't everyone, but they were less likely to say anything to his face, which was about the best that he could hope for.

Arya had her bad days too. There were times she would be the one waking him up from the nightmares, and she needed to dig her nails into his skin to convince herself that he wasn't dead. She would be distant sometimes, and she struggled with adapting to fighting with her right hand. Brienne was a fabulous teacher, but there were talks that she might be heading home to Tarth soon. Her father missed her, and she missed him, and Gendry knew she would love to serve under his siblings. Brienne would spend time watching Sansa or Arya with a sad smile, and Gendry knew that she finally felt like the promise she made to Catelyn Stark was complete. Her daughters were home and safe, and maybe it was time for her to go home too.

Gendry was surprised, and a little touched that Corbin and Arya still worked on trying to get Rhaegal to fly again after everything that happened. Corbin had kept his distance when Gendry first returned, and Gendry got to meet Edd, the young man that Arya brought on to finish what Gendry had started.

"She wanted it to be your legacy," Corbin said one night as the three of them were drinking some ale and going over the designs again. Edd was a good man, and Gendry really didn't mind having another set of hands that knew his designs so well. Gendry frowned as he looked at Corbin. "We thought you were dead, lad, and she wanted you to be remembered for something else in this world." Edd hummed in agreement like that wasn't a big deal or anything, but Gendry felt a little thrown by the idea of someone doing anything in his name. He wasn't going to let it get to him, though and the three of them continued to work on the materials that they needed.

The next day Gendry took a horse and went to go see Rhaegal by himself for the first time since they went south for Daenerys' wedding. He didn't tell anyone that was where he was going because Gendry wasn't entirely sure if Rhaegal was going to remember him or how he would react to seeing him for the first time in a long time. If he was going to finish this, he needed to see Rhaegal, and Gendry planned to do that. The massive green dragon came out of the cave as Gendry approached, but he wasn't immediately burned to a crisp, so he took that as a good thing. He climbed off of his horse and dropped his hammer and sword into the dirt. He held up both of his hands into the air and slowly approached.

"Hey, Rhaegal," Gendry said carefully. "I know it's been a long since we've seen each other, and I probably looked a little different, but I still want to help you fly. I can't do that if I can't get near you, though, so this is our test to see if you still know who I am and if I can still touch you." Rhaegal huffed a breath that somehow sounded like the dragon was deeply unimpressed with him, which was amusing. Gendry reached out as he got closer and held out his hand.

Rhaegal huffed again but eventually approached and pressed his nose to Gendry's open hand. He breathed a sigh of relief as he looked into one of the dragon's eyes. "Nice to see you again too. We have three of us working on this thing now, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't scare the shit out of Corbin and Edd. They want to help you the same way I do." Rhaegal sorted but let Gendry pet him for a long time. The sun was high in the sky by the time he turned around to leave. There was something about being around a dragon that made his blood sing, and he felt more determined than ever to get Rhaegal back into the sky.

It only took a full moon turn to get everything set up and ready between the three of them. Arya would wander in at times and would work with Edd on the easier pieces of the massive contraption. It made Gendry smile to see Arya working on the forge even if she was just passing Edd the things he needed or watching all of the work very carefully.

"I like watching you work, but I know I distract you," Arya said one night they were in bed together. Both of them were breathing hard from their lovemaking, and now they were trying to slow their heartbeats enough to sleep.

"You're just as distracting working with Edd, too, but you're providing a valuable service to him too. He's going to have to take on an apprentice someday, and him learning how to explain things to you will someday help him explain things to his apprentice as well," Gendry explained. "We appreciate the help." He kissed her forehead, and they both managed to sleep through the night without any nightmares.

On the day they were ready to attach the final version of the instrument that would help Rhaegal fly, everyone wanted to be there, but Gendry didn't want to risk spooking the dragon. He told everyone that they should keep an eye on the sky if they wanted to see if it worked and took only Edd and Corbin with him. The two of them were more used to Rhaegal, but they still let Gendry approach before anyone else. Gendry didn't even approach Rhaegal with any hesitation now; he just walked up to the dragon, confident that he wouldn't get hurt.

It took most of the morning to attach the contraption to the wing and stretch the leather over the rip. They had tried a few different versions of this, but this was the one that Gendry thought was going to work. It covered the hole but also shifted enough that it didn't get in the way of Rhaegal folding his wings in. Gendry also made sure to attach a small pouch explaining how to remove it just in case Rhaegal took the skies and went straight for Daenerys. Everything was ready, and Corbin and Edd took large steps back as Gendry placed a hand on Rhaegal's nose.

"This is going to help you fly," Gendry said, unsure if the dragon could understand. He had tested the other versions, but Gendry wanted to know that this is the one that was going to hold. He was sure that this was the one that was going to hold. "This is going to help you get back to Drogon and Dany. They're waiting for you, and they didn't think they'd see you again." He placed a hand on Rhaegal's nose and smiled. "Let's get you home."

Gendry walked away from Rhaegal, and the three of them waited. It took a moment for Rhaegal to understand that this was something that was going to help him fly again. He flapped his wings and kicked up dirt and dust. Edd and Corbin took more steps back, shielding their eyes, but Gendry refused to look away. In Essos, he got very used to dust in his eyes, and this was no different. He watched as Rhaegal flapped his wings harder and took off into a run. The very ground seemed to shake, but Gendry held his breath as he watched Rhaegal take to the skies.

This wasn't the first time they managed to get Rhaegal to fly, but every time the contraptions broke. This time, nothing happened. They watched Rhaegal circle the area, swoop down from the sky toward the ground, and back up again, and he flew for hours, and nothing happened. Gendry could vaguely hear Corbin and Edd cheering behind him, but Gendry couldn't take his eyes off of the dragon in the sky. He did that; they did that; they made a dragon fly again. Rhaegal swooped down and handed near them again. They approached and looked everything over; there wasn't any indication that there would be any problems. Gendry pressed his forehead to Rhaegal's neck and breathed in deep.

"All right, time to go home," he whispered. "I'll send more detailed instructions via raven, or I can come down and fix things if you need it, but it's time to go." Gendry didn't think he would miss Rhaegal but knowing the dragon was leaving; it felt like something important was going. He took a step back and waited for Rhaegal to take to the skies. Only Rhaegal didn't fly away. Gendry glanced at Edd and Corbin, who both looked confused. They waited for Rhaegal to leave, but the dragon looked at them like they were idiots, turned around, and walked back into the cave.

"What the fuck is going on?" Corbin asked, and Gendry didn't have an answer.

+++

Gendry wasn't sure what the hell was going on. He always thought that he'd be chasing Rhaegal down to get him not to fly south immediately when all Gendry wanted to do was double-check the rigging. Instead, it was a full week later, and Rhaegal seemed content to circle the skies around Winterfell and occasionally landing nearby and then taking off again. Gendry and Jon had both tried to get the dragon to go back to Daenerys, but he wasn't moving.

"Maybe he wants to stay and look after us," Arya said one night after dinner. Gendry was trying to get the last of the soot from his face and neck, but there always seemed to be another spot of black that turned up. He was pretty sure he was going to have soot on him for the rest of his life even if he never entered a forge again.

"Maybe," Gendry replied, but he wasn't sure. Something was nagging him, and he didn't know what to do about it. He sighed and tossed the rag aside as he collapsed onto their bed. Arya began to run her hands through his hair, and Gendry closed his eyes as he slowly began to relax. He sighed heavily and opened his eyes to look up at her.

"Should we send a raven to Daenerys? So she can come, I don't know, pick him up?" Gendry asked, and Arya hummed.

"All the stories I read about dragons is that they are fiercely intelligent creatures, much more so than any of us could understand. Sometimes, I look at Nymeria, and it's like I'm looking into the eyes of a person. Do you feel the same way when you look at Rhaegal?" she asked.

"When we stepped back, and I told him to go home, I could have sworn he was looking at me like I was an idiot," Gendry said, and Arya laughed at him. "I'm serious; I don't have any other way to put it. It isn't the first time he's looked at me, and I thought I could tell what he was thinking, though, so maybe there is something to that idea."

"You said he looked at you like you were an idiot?" Arya asked, and Gendry nodded. "And he looked at you like this when you told him he could go home to Daenerys?" Gendry nodded again, but he could see where she was going with this. "So, apparently, you were an idiot for telling him to go home. We just need to figure out why."

"He's a dragon. I'm not sure he's going to be telling me anything anytime soon," he said, but Arya smiled.

"We can't talk to him, but we know someone who says they have before," Arya replied.

+++

Gendry helped Bran push his chair out into the Winterfell courtyard. Jojana was in his lap, and he was insisting that she stay with him despite the fact that they were about to go see a dragon. Rhaegal hadn't been aggressive to any of them yet, but that didn't mean it wasn't going to happen. Gendry was fairly sure that Meera would skin him alive and maybe feed him to one of those lizard lions in the Neck if one hair was out of place on Bran or Jojana's heads. Rhaegal was circling the castle, but Gendry wasn't surprised when he landed not far away from the entrance. Arya was with him, and she squeezed Gendry's shoulder.

"So, you think Rhaegal looked at you like you were an idiot when you told him to go home, and now you want me to find out why he thinks you're an idiot," Bran said like he didn't know what was going on. Jojana giggled in his lap, and Bran looked at his daughter fondly.

"Yes, that's pretty much it," Gendry replied even though Bran was smirking, and he did understand all of this. Bran looked at Rhaegal and tilted his head to the side like he could hear something that they couldn't. His eyes didn't turn white, but they did get that far away look that Gendry didn't quite know what to do with. It seemed like the world was holding its breath until Rhaegal huffed and took to the skies again. Bran blinked and looked at Gendry.

"Take me to the godswood, please," Bran said, and Gendry walked with Arya out into the godswood. Bran put Jojana on the ground, and she hobbled over to Arya, and the two of them began to twirl and laugh near the massive tree. Gendry smiled softly as he watched Arya play with their niece; it made him smile, and it made his heart hurt a little to see her with a small child. They both knew that it wasn't going to happen with them, but that didn't mean it didn't sometimes hurt them. Gendry looked back at Bran, who had a hand on the tree and had that far away look in his eyes. He didn't move for almost half an hour, and Jojana had fallen asleep in Arya's arms. Meera came out to join them, and she frowned a little when she saw Bran.

"How long has he been like that?" she asked.

"About thirty minutes," Arya replied as she handed Jojana off to Meera. Meera walked over and sat down on a root near Bran and rocked Jojana quietly. Gendry could see that Meera moved, so Bran's arm was pressed against Bran's head, and he could only assume that this was supposed to help ground him. It took another ten minutes for Bran to blink, and he immediately smiled down at Meera and Jojana. He turned to Gendry and smiled again.

"Rhaegal is trying to give you a gift," Bran said, and Gendry stood there for a moment as he waited for Bran to go on, but he didn't say anything. Arya raised an eyebrow and gestured for her brother to continue. "You have three ingots of Valkyrian Steel that you don't know how to forge, and Rhaegal wants to help give you the means to help forge it."

"Rhaegal knows how to forge Valyrian Steel?" Gendry asked dubiously.

"No, I know how, but Rhaegal needs to help," Bran replied.

"Dragonfire?" Arya asked.

"No," Bran said. "That would require burning down a lot of people and possibly forges. Not dragonfire but dragon blood. The ingots need to be soaked in dragon blood for seven days, and then you'll be able to forge them. Rhaegal is waiting for you to take his blood, and then he'll fly south to Daenerys."

"You want me to make a dragon bleed on purpose," Gendry said, and he did not make it a question. Bran just nodded like that wasn't a big deal and like he wasn't going to be the one digging a knife into a beast that could kill him in seconds. "And you think Rhaegal is waiting for me to take the blood, and he'll give it to me willfully because I helped him fly again?"

"That was the implication," Bran said.

"What do you mean 'implication?'" Meera asked as she eyed him carefully.

"Well, I can't actually talk to a dragon, but I get impressions from him, and that was the impression I got," Bran replied. Meera looked at the sky like it could answer all of her questions. She stood up and gently placed Jojana in Bran's lap.

"You need to be more specific. You said that Rhaegal told you that he wouldn't hurt anyone in the North, and now you're telling me that you didn't actually know that?" Meera asked, and Bran seemed to realize just what had happened. He opened his mouth to speak, but she raised a hand to silence him and turned to Gendry and Arya. "Please be careful should you decide to take his advice. I really don't want to have to explain to Jon why his favorite sister and brother are both turned to ash." Arya looked like she was trying to hold back laughter but didn't say anything, but now Bran looked deeply offended.

"How can Gendry be the favorite brother?" Bran asked.

"You'll be lucky if you'll even be anyone's favorite brother once they found out you didn't actually talk to Rhaegal," Meera said as she began to push them out of the godswood. Gendry could hear them arguing, and sometimes he wondered how things got so strange. He looked at Arya, and she shrugged as well.

"He's not leaving, so he's waiting for something," Arya said as she reached forward and took his hand into hers. "We'll go together, and while Bran is vague and annoying, he's also usually right. I think Rhaegal wants you to have this gift because you can be trusted with it."

"I don't understand," Gendry replied. They sat down underneath the godswood, and he could hear Rhaegal circling the castle yet again.

"You would keep the knowledge to yourself because if everyone knew that they needed dragon blood to forge Valyrian Steel, Drogon and Rhaegal would become targets for someone looking to hurt them," Arya explained. Gendry tensed up a little at the thought of someone trying to hurt the dragons. "See, just the mere idea bothered you, so you can be trusted with this information. That's why he wants to give it to you." Arya paused for a moment. "Or that's the general impression I'm getting anyway." Gendry had to laugh, and they wrapped their arms around each other as they walked out of the godswood.

There was no point in waiting for someone else to come along; Gendry took his strongest dagger and bucket out of the forge, and he walked with Arya at least a mile away from Winterfell. He didn't think the fire could reach the castle from here, but he wanted to be sure. It had rained the night before, so the ground and trees were wet, which meant it would be harder for them to catch fire if the worst happened. He didn't want to accidentally burn down half of the North while he was trying to do this insane plan. Rhaegal circled a few more times and eventually landed not far away from where he and Arya were waiting. Rhaegal landed further away from Winterfell, which seemed deliberate at this point. The two of them approached, but Rhaegal tensed and growled when Arya got close. She froze and put her hands in the air in surrender.

"I think you're supposed to do this on your own," she said, "but I'll be here through it all no matter what happens."

"This plan is insane; you know that, right?" Gendry said.

"My brother, who is actually my cousin, killed a creature that could raise the dead with a sword that you and him made stronger with your king's blood, and it actually caught on fire at one point," Arya said. "This is just as insane as the fact that an actual dragon is sitting over there as it is." Gendry leaned forward and kissed her gently.

"Thank you," he whispered, and she smiled because Arya seemed to know that he wasn't just thanking her for being here. She nodded, and Gendry gathered his things as he approached Rhaegal. He had brought all sorts of tools around the dragon many times, so it wasn't the dagger that Gendry was worried about. That was on his hip, and the bucket was in one of his hands. When he got close enough, Gendry put a hand on Rhaegal's nose and petted gently. "If this isn't what you want, I hope you'll give some indication and not just kill me," he said, and Rhaegal huffed in an exasperated way. Maybe everyone was right, and he was a lot smarter than they were giving him credit for.

Gendry pulled the dagger from the sheath and glanced over at Arya, who was standing nearby. She was a little pale, which betrayed that she wasn't as confident in all of this as she said she was, but that was to be expected. They had almost lost each other too many times, and if this was their time, then at least they would go together. He nodded to her, and Gendry patted a spot on Rhaegal's neck. The dragon huffed again and actually stomped one of his feet a little. Gendry took a deep breath, released it slowly, and pushed the dagger through the tough scale. Rhaegal made a pained noise, but Gendry used his other hand to pet him carefully.

"I know it hurts, and I'm sorry that it does," Gendry said. The wound was big enough that the blood was free-flowing, and Rhaegal hadn't attacked him or tried to burn him alive. Thankfully the three ingots were fairly small, and he didn't need too much blood. Eventually, Gendry took a cloth from his pocket and pressed it to the wound until it stopped bleeding. There was about three inches worth of blood sitting in the bottom of the bucket, and he stared at it like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Rhaegal just stood there and let him take the blood. Gendry walked around so he could look the dragon in the eye. "Thank you for entrusting me with this gift," he said, and the dragon nudged him carefully with his nose. "And you're welcome for fixing your wing." Gendry walked back until he was standing with Arya again. "Time to go home," he said. Rhaegal flapped his wings and took to the sky. He immediately began to fly south, and the two of them watched him eventually fade from sight.

They walked back to Winterfell and sent Daenerys a raven telling her how to look for any weakness in the contraption on Rhaegal's wing.

+++

Gendry let the ingots soak in his room so no one could see them and made sure they were locked in an empty trunk as well. He spent the seven days designing what he wanted to make for everyone and refused to let Arya see them when she asked. She threw her hands up in the air but allowed him to keep his secrets. He was glad because he wanted to present this to her himself. He wanted it to be a surprise. Seven days later, Gendry buried the blood in the dirt at the bottom of the heart tree. It seemed like the right place for it and took the ingots into the forge. They melted beautifully, and he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"This is for you, master," Gendry said softly, and he felt more honored than ever that Mott had left these to him. The six pieces took him nearly three months to make, but they were small and detailed enough that he didn't want to mess up. He couldn't risk the metal cooling too much before he finished, or he might not be able to melt it again, so he had to make everything in one sitting. That meant over the course of those three months, Gendry worked two days straight six times. Arya worried about him, but Gendry didn't have the answer as to reforging Valyrian Steel. Maybe he could ask Bran to look someday.

Gendry slept for almost an entire day after he finished the final piece, and when he woke up, Arya was quietly reading in their bed. He reached over and took her hand into his.

"I'm glad you're done," she said. "I don't like seeing you this exhausted."

"I know, but it's done," Gendry replied as he sat up. "Do you want to see?" Arya nodded, and he guided her over to the trunk that he had kept the blood in. He unlocked it and pulled out the six pieces wrapped in cloth, and put them on the table. Gendry unwrapped them, and Arya gasped. The three ingots were small, so his options were limited, so Gendry thought of things that could be passed down through generations. "They're broaches," he explained. "Each one carries the sigil of a House in our family. The dire wolf broaches are Bran and Jon, the stead is for Edric, the dragon is for Daenerys, and the Kraken is for Yara. For us, I made this one." While the other broaches just contained the sigils, the one he made for him and Arya was different.

"It's a wolf and a bull," Arya whispered as she traced her fingers along the design of the broach. They were all roughly the size of the pin that Sansa wore as Hand to the King, and they could be worn the same way. "Gendry, these are beautiful, and I know everyone will be honored to pass them through the generations." Arya looked up at him and reached forward to brush a tear that Gendry didn't even realize was falling. They wrapped their arms around each other and held on tight. It was like the final vice around his lungs had faded away because he hadn't made anything aside from basic weapons and Rhaegal's device since he got back. He was scarred, but he wasn't broken. He could still make pieces that people would wear with pride.

For the first time in a long time, Gendry looked into a mirror and finally recognized the person looking back.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

Arya had good days, and she had bad days, and she knew that was going to be the case the second she rode back behind the Wall with Gendry. She was tempted, the same way he was, to stay beyond the Wall and never go back. Arya loved her family, and while they would probably understand, they already thought she was lost once when she went west. She wouldn't do that to them again. So they rode back to Winterfell and back to their lives. Arya watched as Gendry did his best to learn how to be around people again, and she was so proud when he could. She glared a few of the maids and stableboys into submission when they talked about the scar. Arya did not like it when people whispered about the scar.

It was mostly because the scar and her hand were a constant reminder of that time when she thought he was lost. It was a constant reminder that there was a time in her life that she thought Gendry was dead, and she wasn't ever going to see him again. Arya knew that he understood, at least as much as he could without going through it himself, that she went through hell in a different way than he did. It wasn't a competition; one wasn't worse than the other, they were different, and they needed to adjust. For Gendry, that meant working on the contraption that would get Rhaegal flying again. For Arya, it meant picking up Needle and learning how to fight again so no one would ever take her family away from her again.

Brienne wasn't going to stay with them much longer; Sansa told Arya in private that she wanted to release Brienne from their service so she could go home to Tarth, so Arya planned on taking advantage of the time she had left. Brienne knew all about learning how to fight when your body wasn't designed for it. She had to learn to carry the heavy armor and the large swords. Arya had to learn how to fight with her right hand.

"I don't like how it feels," Arya said not long after they came back from beyond the Wall. Gendry was in the forge with Corbin and Edd, and she liked that he had people to talk to. They were good men who wouldn't look at Gendry differently if his hands shook or a loud noise made him flinch. "Needle always felt like an extension of my arm, Thread did as well, and I've fought with two blades before. Why is this so strange? Why does this feel so wrong?"

"Arya, you're not a fool; you know why it doesn't feel right," Brienne said with that steady and endless patience she seemed to have. "Fighting with two swords is not the same thing as fighting with one in your non-dominant hand. You know that, and you know it's going to take time to figure this out. I watched Ser Jaimie learn how to fight while missing an entire hand, so I know that you can too." Brienne's voice didn't crack when she spoke about Jaimie anymore. Arya didn't think she would ever forget the expression on Brienne's face when she relayed Jaimie's final message to her. If there was anyone who understood heartbreak like that, it was Brienne, and it was something that Arya never thought to ask her about.

"When I thought Gendry was gone, it felt like a piece of me was missing, like it died, and I wouldn't ever be whole again," Arya said as they practiced, and she didn't know how to word this without sounding like an asshole.

"You want to know how I managed to go on losing not only Ser Jaimie but Podrick as well," Brienne said, and Arya nodded. "I had my duty to your sister and to your family. I wanted to see it through because that's what honor demanded and what I wanted to do. I wanted the first person I truly served as a knight to be someone I could be proud of for the rest of my life, and your family is that family."

"Sometimes I wake up from nightmares where he isn't there, and it feels like I'm collapsing in on myself," Arya said quietly. "I used to train to clear my head, but I can't even do that anymore."

"What do you call what we're doing right now?" Brienne said, and she wasn't wrong. Arya didn't know what else to say to that, so they kept on training and making small talk together. It was nice, and while it was taking time to work up the strength in her arm, Arya refused to let sore muscles slow her down. A sword wasn't the only thing that she needed to learn how to reuse, and Brienne wasn't the one who was teaching her this.

"Try to keep your arm steady as possible," Theon explained as he tried to help her shoot an arrow. She hadn't hit the target even once, not even close, and when she was a child, she could hit it. It was frustrating to feel set back so far. Elemy was nearby and watching this entire thing with wide eyes. Theon dotted on her, and when she blinked her big eyes at him, he would do whatever she asked. Sansa would only shake her head and smile. They were spoiling the little girl but seeing the way that Sansa's eyes lit up was worth having a spoiled niece.

"It's kind of difficult," Arya snapped because she was trying to aim with a hand that only had two fingers, and it was not going well. She couldn't pull the string back with a single finger, and this wasn't working either. Arya knew it wasn't exactly the adult thing to do when she threw the bow onto the ground, but it felt like the right thing to do at that moment. Theon hummed and picked up the bow before it sat in the dirt for too long.

"I used to be able to do it as a child," Arya snapped. "And now I can't do it. I can't do something a child could do."

"A child who had all ten fingers," Theon said, and he carefully reached forward to touch her shoulder. He was making sure that she could see him reaching for her. "We'll try a crossbow and go from there." Arya sighed because it felt a bit like cheating to use the crossbow because it had to be easier. However, it took longer than she thought it would for the two of them to aim everything properly and get her even close to hitting the target.

"Yara is coming to visit," Theon said as they finished up their lesson. "She wants to meet Elemy and sent me a raven very angry that I didn't tell her about Elemy immediately."

"That sounds like a sister thing," Arya replied. "What are you worried about? You just saw her recently. She just had to leave right after the trial ended and go back to the Iron Isles."

"I want her to think I'm a good father," Theon replied. "Her opinion means a lot to me, and if she thinks I'm shit at being a father---"

"You're not," Arya interrupted because she could tell that he was about to spiral. Theon was already twisting his fingers in a way that telegraphed when he was starting to sink into his own mind in a bad way. She knew the signs because of him and because she had to learn to recognize them in Gendry too. "I've met a lot of father's, and you're not a bad one. Elemy loves the two of you, and she loves being here, and I'm sure she's going to love Yara too." Theon smiled softly, and they made their way back into the castle.

+++

Arya stared at the broaches that lay before her. They were beautiful and unlike anything she had ever seen before. She couldn't believe that it actually worked; the dragon blood worked, and Gendry was able to make these broaches out of the Valyrian Steel that Mott left him all of those years ago. Gendry was explaining where each one was going and when Gendry stopped crying, Arya noticed that there was someone who wasn't getting one.

"What about Sansa and Theon?" Arya asked.

"I know," Gendry said without elaborating. Arya knew that Gendry cared about Sansa and Theon, but she wanted to know why they weren't getting anything. It seemed cruel almost to give something to everyone but not them. "Arya, trust me, it's going to work out." Arya pulled her beautiful husband into a tight hug, and they stayed like that on the floor of their room until a maid came and told them it was time for dinner. Gendry hid the broaches and told her not to tell anyone just yet. Arya didn't know what he was waiting for, but she trusted that he had his reasons and these broaches were his creation.

Yara arrived a fortnight later, and Elemy immediately thought she was the best thing she had ever heard of. Elemy knew all about the ocean and sailing and everything else. She liked good people on ships and was glad that Yara was out there protecting everyone from the men with the bad ships. Yara was grinning as she carried Elemy back into the Great Hall so they could all have their supper. It was already late, but when a rider told them that Yara was close, everyone decided that they would wait. Gendry had vanished into their room and returned a piece of cloth in his hands. Arya could assume it was the broaches. The food was good, and Gendry looked a little nervous about getting up in front of everyone, even though it was just their family.

"You can do this," Arya whispered and kissed his cheek. Gendry released a breath and walked in front of the high table where Yara, Val, and Jon sat. Everyone seemed to quiet down when they noticed something in Gendry's hands.

"My old master Tobho Mott passed along something to me when he found out that I was alive. It was three small ingots of Valyrian Steel. He passed them along to me because they had been in his family, and I was the only family he had left. He said he thought I would be the one to figure out how to forge them," Gendry hesitated as he glanced at Arya, and she nodded. "And I did."

"How?" Jon asked breathlessly.

"I think it's better if it remains hidden," Gendry said carefully. He was worried that Jon or Val would order him to tell them how to do it, and he would have to tell. Arya knew that her brother would see that Gendry didn't want other people to try and pay it whatever the price was. She glanced at Jon, who seemed to realize that this wasn't something anyone should know. When no one asked him more, Gendry continued. "They weren't big enough to make a weapon, so I made broaches for our family here and those beyond. I didn't have enough to make one for everyone, so I thought they could become heirlooms for the next generation," He walked over and presented the first direwolf broach to Jon and Val.

"It's beautiful," Val said as she touched the broach gently and put a hand on her swollen stomach. "Thank you." Gendry nodded and handed the other direwolf to Meera and Bran, but Jojana was the one who snatched it out of her mother's hand. She looked at it with her big, blue Tully eyes like it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Jojana looked up at Gendry and smiled so brightly it was like looking into the sun. Gendry walked over and presented the Kraken one to Yara, and she nodded.

"This is beautiful, and I would be honored to take it," Yara said, and she winked at Gendry. He nodded and silently took a step back as Yara stood and walked over to Sansa, Theon, and Elemy. Theon paled a bit and reached over to take Sansa's hand tightly in his own. "I know your She-Wolf declared that if the Iron Isles did not want you, then the North did, but you will always be a Greyjoy, little brother, no matter what anyone says. I told Gendry I wanted something to give you that could remind you that you always have a home on Pyke, and you will always be welcome there. I didn't think it would be something this beautiful, but I supposed that man doesn't do things by halves." Yara placed the broach in front of Theon.

"Yara, it's supposed to be passed down through family, and I can't--" Theon said, but Yara held up a hand to silence him.

"Elemy grew up next to the ocean, and she is yours; therefore, she is a Greyjoy and just as worthy as any child I may or may not have in the future," Yara said. "And should I never have children of my own, I would be honored to name you and her as my heir." Theon was white as a sheet now, and Arya thought he was going to faint. He pushed himself to his feet and looked as shaky as he did the night that Gendry first made him his metal foot so he could walk again. The two Greyjoy's stared at each other and then hugged tightly. Sansa had tears in her eyes while Elemy was tugging on Sansa's sleeve, asking why Papa and Mama were crying, which just made the two of them cry more because that was the first time Elemy had called them mama and papa. Gendry smiled as he walked over and handed Arya the one he made for the two of them.

"I wouldn't trust anyone else to look after this," he whispered, and Arya smiled when he leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "I have two others," Gendry said. "One for Daenerys and one for Edric and my sister's. Arya and I are going to take a trip down to King's Landing and Storm's End to see them." They had already decided on doing this the day before, but Brienne suddenly looked interested. The two Greyjoy's managed to pull apart and go back to their seats just as Brienne knelt down in front of Sansa.

"My Lady, I would like to request---" she began.

"Ser Brienne, you have served my family and me with honor, but it is time for you to go home and be with your own family," Sansa said. "Consider the debt you had to my mother paid in full." Brienne looked a little surprised, but she nodded and looked at Arya and Gendry.

"May I travel with you to Storm's End so I may continue on to Tarth?" Brienne asked.

"We'd be honored," Arya replied.

+++

There wasn't a lot of time for them to linger once they decided that it was time to go south. Val would never admit it out loud, but Jon had no problem telling them that the baby was due in a little over two months, and he really wanted them to be there when it happened. Arya didn't mind, she didn't want to spend a ton of time in the south right now anyway, but she knew it was important to Gendry to give his gifts in person. That was just the sort of person he was. Arya also knew that he really missed his siblings and wanted to see them, and she completely understood that feeling. So two days later, Arya, Gendry, and Brienne made their way from Winterfell and caught a ship down to King's Landing.

Gendry went a little pale on the ship, and they both had nightmares the entire time they were on the water. Brienne spent most of the trip at their door and would knock to wake either of them up when they were sleeping, and she could. Arya loved her for that, and they continued to train together as they made their way to King's Landing. The Red Keep emerged on the horizon line, and two large bodies appeared in the sky. Arya glanced at Gendry as he looked up at Rhaegal, who was flying low near the sea as if he knew who was nearby. Maybe he did, but the smile Gendry wore when he looked up at the massive green dragon made Arya's heart feel full in the best possible way.

They had barely set foot in the port at King's Landing when Daenerys came running down from the Red Keep with her guards desperately trying to keep up with her and Quentyn and Missandei telling that she needed to slow down. There wasn't any slowing Daenerys down, and Arya got to witness the Queen of Westeros practically jump into Gendry's arms and hold onto him so tightly that Arya thought there would be bruises. Gendry looked a little surprised, but he put his arms around his cousin very carefully as Missandei and Quentyn both caught up.

"Thank you," Daenerys whispered. "You found a way to bring my son home to me, and I cannot thank you enough." She sounded as close to tears as Arya had heard from her in a long time, but Daenerys also sounded so happy that she might be ready to cry from that instead of sadness. Quentyn looked at the two of them fondly and smiled at Arya.

"Princess Arya, we weren't expecting you until we got the raven from King Jon saying that you were on the way," Quentyn explained. "As you can see, my love was very excited to greet the cousin that brought her son home."

"We have something else we need to do while we're here," Arya said.

"You know we're both standing right here," Gendry said carefully, but Daenerys didn't appear to be letting him go anytime soon.

"Let them talk. I don't care," Daenerys said. She finally pulled away and framed Gendry's face with her hands. "No amount of thanks will ever be enough for the gift you have given me. I am unworthy of such kindness."

"If I give you something else, will you react the same way?" Gendry asked with his slight deadpan that spoke volumes about how uncomfortable all of this was making him. Daenerys, to her credit, smiled warmly and took a step away from him. She drew Arya into a tight hug as well and nodded politely to Brienne. They all made their way back to the Red Keep together as Daenerys asked them about the North and how they were healing. When she told Daenerys that they were getting better, the words didn't taste like lies in her mouth, and when she glanced at Gendry was smiling softly. She took his hand, and they walked together toward the massive castle in King's Landing as Rhaegal and Drogon circled above them.

+++

Daenerys took them to the Dragon Pit right away, and Rhaegal landed so he and Gendry could say hello to each other. Arya stayed back with Daenerys as they watched him smile warmly at the dragon and check the wing for any damage.

"He really does seem better," Daenerys said quiet enough that Gendry wouldn't hear them. "Both of you do."

"It took some time, but I think we're finally moving on from everything that happened," Arya said. "At least as much as we're able to. I think all of that is going to follow us for the rest of our lives. I guess the important thing is learning to cope with it." Daenerys hummed, and Arya sometimes forgot all of the things that she had gone through to get here as well. Sometimes, Arya was surprised any of them were holding it together after the lives that they had lived. Gendry joined them not long after, and they spent the rest of the afternoon talking. They walked out to King's Landing and made sure to keep their heads down, so no one knew who they were. Arya knew that Gendry liked to walk among the people and was glad that this was a place he could do it. He paused in front of Mott's old shop but didn't go inside.

The city seemed to get cleaner and happier every time that they came to visit, and Arya made sure to listen when people were talking. They were happy with Daenerys as their ruler, and she was doing everything that she could to keep them whole and healthy. They liked that she was willing to stand up to the Lesser Houses when they hurt her family; to the smallfolk, that meant that she was willing to put the people that she cared about above the Lesser Houses, and they liked that. Arya wasn't surprised, but it was a little strange to hear people excited that a monarch was willing to execute people.

It made her think of sitting in the forest with Sandor, and they talked about revenge and what the difference between that and justice was. According to Sandor, it was intent, and Arya believed that it did come down to that. While Daenerys probably was getting revenge on the people that hurt her family, she was also giving justice to the innocent people that the Houses had hurt on the way. Gendry still looked in the mirror and touched his scar like it bothered him, and for that alone, Arya knew she wasn't ever going to forgive those people. The smallfolk, however, saw it as justice. They thought it was their monarch refusing to allow the people below her to push her around. It was a sign of strength and maybe a little revenge on the side.

They were going to leave for Storm's End the next day, so they were only spending a day in King's Landing, which was all the time that Gendry wanted to stay. He loved Daenerys, and Arya did too, but the longer they stayed here, the less time Gendry would have with his siblings, and Arya knew that he missed them like a limb. Daenerys and Quentyn took them to their private solar for dinner, and Arya watched Gendry explain the broach and exactly what it was and why he made it.

"It's beautiful," Daenerys whispered as she ran her fingers along the intricate dragon design that Gendry had carved. "You want these passed down to the next generation? You know that I can't have children, Gendry. There isn't anyone for me to pass it along to, and I don't want this to sit in a chest for the rest of time. It deserves to be seen."

"Sansa and Theon aren't going to have any blood children and are already talking about passing it along to Elemy," Gendry replied. "Arya and I won't have children from our blood either, but we're still going to have one someday. Just because it won't be a Targaryen by blood doesn't mean you can't pass along a piece of yourself."

"Are you sure you can't have children?" Arya asked. "You weren't injured like I was; you would have told me it was a witch or something that told you. How do you know she wasn't lying?" Daenerys glanced at Quentyn, and he smiled softly as he took her hand into his.

"I assure you it would be no hardship for us to continue to try and have children. Maybe one day we'll get lucky and have that chance. We still have a long time before we can really say it isn't going to happen," Quentyn replied.

"Also, I don't know how to reforge Valyrian Steel, so I can't remake it into something else," Gendry said, and Daenerys laughed a little.

"I suppose you got a dragon to fly again, so maybe anything is possible," Daenerys said as she held the broach to her chest. "You're going to be known for generations for the crowns and jewelry you have made, Gendry; I hope you know that." Gendry didn't say anything, but he did nod. They spent the rest of the night catching up with each other, and Arya fell asleep in a familiar bed with Gendry's arms around her. She didn't have nightmares, and the sounds of dragons in the skies woke her at dawn.

Image from PsychVamp who is lovely.

They left for Storm's End the next day. Daenerys asked them if they wanted to stay longer, but when Gendry explained that they wanted to be home in time for Val to give birth and he wanted some time to see his siblings, she let them go without another word. Arya appreciated that Daenerys seemed to understand that Gendry wanted to see his siblings above all else, which was true. She didn't seem bothered by the fact that he wanted to see them more than he wanted to see her. They exchanged tight hugs with the promise to promise to write as often as they could, and they were off to Storm's End.

Much in the same way that they were barely off of the boat before Daenerys was hugging them, Edric, Mya, and Bella were there almost right away as well. Arya once again made sure to take a step back so the Baratheon's could get the chance to see each other properly. The four of them were hugging each other so tightly that no one seemed capable of standing, and they sort of collapsed to the ground in a pile as they held onto each other. Arya immediately noticed how much better all three of the Baratheon's looked from the last time she saw them.

Edric was walking easier, and his arm wasn't in a sling anymore. It looked like he was still having a hard time moving it, but he was able to hug Gendry, which was a step in the right direction. Mya looked a lot less stressed than the last time she saw her. Mya was the one who carried the most responsibility from their capture, and she was also the one who took their separations the hardest. She was practically clinging to Gendry and was holding onto him the tightest. Bella was smiling again, and this time, she made no attempt to hide her missing ear like she had before. Her black curls were artfully pinned up, and she was smiling more. She wasn't looking over her shoulder as much, and Arya could tell that she was armed; she didn't look like she would stab anyone who looked at her funny.

A man that Arya didn't recognize also came rushing down to the port, and she watched as Brienne hugged him tightly. Arya could only assume that this must be Brienne's father, and it must have been years since they last saw each other. He looked so proud and, for a moment, Arya's heart ached with the fact that she didn't have her father anymore. She looked back over to the Baratheon's who were making their way to their feet and smiling at each other.

"Arya, what are you doing standing over there alone?" Edric snapped, but he was smiling. They all turned to look at her, and she had four rather identical blue eyes staring at her. "You're one of us too, now get over here." Arya grinned and found herself being pulled into the hug pile. It felt safe and warm to be in the arms of family again, and she loved that they were all healing so well. They spent probably too long hugging and holding each other out in public. They must have taken long enough that Marya and Davos were worrying because they came down and looked rather exasperated by their antics. The group of them made their way up to Storm's End, and Arya wasn't let more than a couple of feet away from a Baratheon sibling at any given time. Gendry reached forward, took her hand, and intertwined their fingers as they made their way up to the castle.

+++

That first night was a lot of everyone catching up and finding a way to assure each other that everyone was fine. Brienne and her father had a private dinner so they could spend some time together, and Davos and Marya insisted on letting the five of them sit together for the first night. There was good food and wine, and everyone was smiling and looked rather happy as they spent some time together. Arya was happy to hear that everyone was sleeping in their own rooms again, but Mya admitted that she still had nightmares. It wasn't uncommon for her to go to sleep in one room and then make her way to another over the course of the night. Bella and Edric shrugged like neither of them minded.

"Would you like to share a bed tonight?" Arya asked because she knew that none of them would be willing to ask the others if it was all right.

"You wouldn't mind?" Bella asked, and she sounded a little unsure about the whole thing. "It was one thing when we had to do it, and none of us had a choice, but you could have your own room now, and it wouldn't be a big deal. We sleep alone, mostly; we don't want to put that on you."

"I never minded," Arya replied with a shrug. "I know what it feels like to want to have family as close as possible. It was never an inconvenience to me. Those giant beds were always extremely comfortable." Gendry reached over and took her hand into his again.

"Thank you," he whispered and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. Arya felt her heart swell as Mya walked over to one of the maids and to make up one of the beds in one of the rooms with the massive beds. After dinner, the five of them climbed into one of the massive beds in Storm's End for the night. Arya was pleased that Gendry didn't appear to have a single nightmare all night and even more surprised that she didn't either.

+++

They couldn't stay for a long time, but when Arya explained why no one was too bad about it. Whenever she tried to give Gendry some time with his siblings, the four of them would drag her along on whatever they were doing at the time. She got to watch Edric, Mya, and Bella deal with things from the smallfolk, and Arya smiled as she watched how much respect they were given. The people of the Stormlands had nothing but love for their lord and ladies, and they were incredibly talented at putting the priority on the smallfolk but keeping their Lesser Houses happy. It was a delicate balance, and Arya was impressed at just how good they were at it. None of them shied away from their scars or injuries, and none of the smallfolk lingered on the missing limbs or wounds.

The few Lesser Houses that Arya saw over the next couple of days had the look of people that learned the hard way not to make any comments. She asked Davos just how many people Edric had punched for making comments about how they looked, and he refused to give her a number, which wasn't that surprising.

Edric was not courting anyone yet, but there was a knight that looked at Bella like she hung the moon, and Arya saw the two of them talking softly plenty of times. Bella kept a decent amount of distance between the two of them, and the knight never tried to go beyond what she was comfortable with when it came to touch. He asked for something as simple as kissing her hand, which Arya was glad to see. Mya was also not courting anyone, but she had bonded quite closely with a tutor that Mya hired to help teach the children of the servants in the castle their letters and numbers. Gendry didn't look that surprised by that development, and Edric didn't seem to care either. When he was asked about marrying for alliances, Edric shrugged and said that they had enough alliances through family already and didn't need to focus on it as far as he was concerned. He was young still, and Arya knew that it was only a matter of time before daughters from the Lesser Houses started throwing themselves at him. Edric seemed to know that was coming too and didn't seem bothered by it. None of them were in a rush to get married, which was good to see. They deserved time to make their own choices.

Brienne and her father left for Tarth on the second day, and Arya hugged Brienne for a long time.

"You saved my sister's life, and I don't know how I can ever thank you enough for that," Arya whispered.

"It was my honor to serve your house," Brienne replied as they held each other. "If you ever need me for anything, please do not hesitate to send a raven." They pulled away from each other, and Gendry briefly hugged her.

"Keep an eye on my brother and sister's for me?" he asked.

"I would be honored to serve House Baratheon again," Brienne replied.

The night before they were all scheduled to leave for the North again, Gendry pulled out the broach that he made for them and pushed it toward Edric. Edric looked a little stunned as he reached forward with his good arm and touched the broach with the tip of his fingers.

"I don't know what to say," Edric whispered.

"Just promise you'll pass it along to your children when you decide to have some," Gendry replied. "The three of you have already brought honor back to the Baratheon name; now it's my turn to give you something to pass along to the next generation that isn't tainted by the actions of our father or our uncles. Something just for us." One moment the four siblings were staring at each other, and the next, they were all hugging each other tightly. Arya didn't partake in this hug, but when she glanced at Marya and Davos, who had happily joined them for dinner that night, they were holding hands and looking like proud parents. Arya smiled as she watched Gendry go over all of the details of the broach with his siblings as they passed it around and looked at it. He glanced up at her and smiled. It made Arya's breath catch and her heart skip a beat; Gendry at peace was so stunningly beautiful that she didn't know what to do with herself.

The five of them shared a bed again, and they were all up most of the night just talking. It reminded her of the times when she and Sansa were younger and got along. Arya slipped off to sleep to the sound of the Baratheon's talking about nothing in particular. She was grateful that the four of them were so at peace that they could just talk about nothing while smiling and laughing together.

+++

Arya would like to stay longer in Storm's End, but they needed to get back to Winterfell before Val had the baby. So they were all saying goodbye far too soon with promises to visit as soon as it was possible. Arya was fine with that because now she felt like she could go south without the world feeling like it was caving in. She could go to Storm's End and not feel like she wanted to leave right away. It was all good, and it made her happy to see Gendry and everyone else healing. They didn't look as haunted as they did after being away for so long. Arya knew that Essos was going to follow them for the rest of their lives, but it was good to see the people she fell in love with at Winterfell what felt like a lifetime ago.

The voyage back to Winterfell was nice and exactly what Arya needed. Their weather was good, and she spent most of her days on the deck of the ship just looking out into the ocean. She knew that Meereen was nearby and that Daenerys was going to have to deal with Essos eventually, but that wasn't something that they needed to be a part of. Arya was glad because just bringing up Essos made Gendry get distant, but she did feel bad that Edric, Mya, and Bella were going to have to deal with that fallout. It was selfish that she wanted to run and hide in the North, but Arya also felt like they had earned the rest.

Their cabin had a small but comfortable bed, and they were lying together one night after eating dinner. Gendry had already fallen asleep, but Arya was awake for hours thinking about her life. She flexed her left hand and looked at the stumps where her fingers were missing. She thought about the training that Brienne and Theon had given her and that she could learn how to fight again with practice. She thought about the way Gendry slept through the night without nightmares now more than he woke up nearly screaming.

She thought about how well Sansa and Theon had taken to being parents to Elemy. She thought about how much Jojana reminded her of Rickon when he was a baby and how that ache made her miss her family so much that it hurt. She thought about the lies her parents told them and each other over the years. She thought about how her father was a man who made many mistakes, and for many years, she turned him into a person that he wasn't. She thought about the resentment she had for her mother for so many years but now saw a woman that was just trying to do her best and raise her children in a way that would keep them safe. Arya knew now that her mother wasn't trying to turn her into a lady for no reason but for her own protection; being a lady was learning how to move through a world that didn't care about whether or not she lived through birthing a child if that child was a son. Those things were training, weapons, and armor of a different kind that Arya was only just beginning to understand.

Arya closed her eyes and thought about the list she used to say to help her sleep at night. Arya used to define her entire life by revenge and vengeance, and there was a part of her that wasn't ever going to be able to let it all go. She was always going to hate the Lesser Houses that almost took Gendry and his siblings away. She was always going to hate Cersei and Joffrey for taking her family away from her. She was always going to hate the Bolton's for trying to break Sansa and Theon and for killing Rickon. That need for revenge was something that wasn't ever going to go away, but Arya thought that maybe the need would go away. Maybe, someday, she could look back at the people she had loved and lost, and she wouldn't have the idea of vengeance tainting their memory. Her loved one's deserved better than that.

They were halfway to Winterfell when Nymeria joined them, and Arya laughed as her wolf nearly tackled her to the ground as they wrestled. Gendry laughed, and his smile was brighter than the sun. She didn't know if she could love him more than she did at that moment. They arrived back in Winterfell with Sansa rushing out and telling them that they were late and Val had been in labor for almost a day. Jon was a wreck and looked like he was about to pass out, but Bran held his hand, and Elemy and Jojana were shamelessly used to keep him from freaking out too much. Val's screams made Arya wince, and she didn't think she would ever get used to this. After another couple of hours, Jon pushed his way into the birthing room and insisted that he needed to be there for his wife. The screams weren't as loud after that, and then a different scream echoed through the castle—the scream of a new Stark joining the world.

Arya squeezed Gendry's hand as they waited. The baby was crying, and Meera told them that the crying was a good thing. It meant that the baby was okay and their lungs were doing well. Jon eventually opened the door, and there were tears in his eyes as he held a tiny human being in his arms.

"Everyone, I'd like you to meet Ygritte Stark," he whispered. Everyone gathered around the tiny baby who had a head covered in bright blonde hair, just like Val. She wasn't going to look like anyone else with the Stark name, and Arya thought that was a good thing. It meant that her family was expanding, and she loved that. Jon walked back into the room and handed baby Ygritte back to Val, who was smiling down at her daughter. Val looked up at Jon, and he smiled down at her. Arya knew that look, and while it had taken some time, she knew that Val and Jon were on their way to loving each other. The fact that Val was willing to name her daughter after the woman that Jon had lost said a lot about the type of people that they were.

Jojana and Elemy both thought Ygritte was a fascinating thing, and they kept wandering over to Val so they could see the baby. Maester Wolken said that she was a strong child, and he didn't see any reason for them to worry about her living through her first year. Val got softer when she became a mother, but she still made a few grown men shrink when they made some sort of comment about how she wasn't a warrior anymore because she had a baby. Arya liked having a new baby around, and she enjoyed helping Val with Ygritte whenever she could. It made the first three months go by extremely quickly, and Arya was rocking Ygritte with Sansa and Meera when a guard knocked on the door.

"Princess Arya, there is someone at the door asking for Ser Gendry and you," the guard said.

"Were you expecting anyone?" Sansa asked, and Arya shook her head. She handed Ygritte off to the wet nurse and made her way outside. Gendry was waiting for her, and he didn't seem to have any idea what was going on either. They walked over to the gate and saw an older woman with something on her back. There was a small merchant cart that Arya recognized from the Riverlands that sometimes came through, which meant this woman came from the Riverlands.

"Ser Gendry, Princess Arya, please, I beg an audience with you," the woman said. She sounded tired, and if nothing else, she probably needed a hot meal.

"Of course, please, follow me," Arya said as she guided the woman, with several guards following them, to the Great Hall. Jon and Bran were both there as well, and they frowned when Arya guided the woman in. She walked into the middle of the Great Hall and all but collapsed onto the ground.

"My name is Carynne, and I come to you from the Riverlands," Carynne explained. "I come because I was asked to."

"Asked by who exactly?" Gendry asked. Carynne moved the bundle on her back to reveal a small baby, perhaps only a few weeks old. They had black hair that Arya thought was all too familiar, and when the baby opened their eyes, the blue was undeniable.

"Her name was Shennen," Carynne explained. "And we lived next door to each other in the Riverlands. Her mother was a maid of an inn that King Robert passed through during the war, and then Shennen was born. Her mother made sure to keep her well hidden in the Riverlands, and no one knew she existed. She married a good man when she heard about the two of you."

"She could have come here," Gendry whispered. "We would have protected her and given her a good place to stay, but we didn't know she was alive."

"She didn't want the attention. She was happy in her home with her husband until he got sick and died not long after she found out she was with child," Carynne explained. "The birth was difficult, and Shennen knew that she wasn't going to live. She begged me to make sure that her son had somewhere to go, and she thought about the two of you. She heard about how the Princess couldn't have children from rumors the merchants told, and she knew how kind both of you were.

"Shennen made me promise that I would bring him to you so he would have somewhere to go," Carynne continued. "I stayed with her until she brought her son into the world, but she didn't even get the chance to hold him before she was lost. I took him into my arms, and I have been trying to come to Winterfell ever since." Arya didn't know what they were supposed to say to this, but there was denying that the baby boy looked exactly like Gendry and Edric. He was a Baratheon born child, and if Carynne was telling the truth, then he had nowhere else to go.

"Where is my sister now?" Gendry whispered.

"Buried with her husband on their land," Carynne replied. "I have a letter that explains everything." She pulled out a small strip of parchment and passed it to Gendry. Arya looked over his shoulder and read the letter, and it was the exact same thing that Carynne had said. It explained that Shennen was happy with her life with her husband and didn't want the burden of her father's name, but now that she was dying, her son needed somewhere to go, and she knew that Arya and Gendry would raise him right.

"Does he have a name?" Arya whispered as she looked down at the small boy in Carynne's arms.

"No, m'lady, Shennen didn't get the chance to name him before she passed, and she told me no name that I could tell you," Carynne whispered as she looked down at the bundle in her arms. "I loved that girl like she was one of my own, and I looked after her after mother passed. I'm old though, m'lady, and I am in no condition to raise a little boy, and my Shennen wanted you two to have him. Please, will you take him? Will you give him the family he deserves?" Arya glanced at Gendry who was staring at the tiny little boy with wide eyes. He looked back at her, and they had a silent conversation. They always said that they wanted to help a child that needed a home someday and now here was destiny presenting one to them. Gendry knelt down in front of Carynne and smiled softly at her.

"My Lady, you have done us such a great service. I would be honored to give this little boy a home, and I would be even more honored if you would like to stay," Gendry said softly.

"Ser, m'lord, I'm not--"

"You protected and loved my sister, and you brought my nephew here," Gendry interrupted. "You said you considered Shennen to be family, so that makes us family as well." Arya knelt down in front of Carynne, who was openly weeping now, and the baby was starting to get fussy in her arms.

"We'd be honored," Arya said as she glanced over her shoulder at Jon. He was smiling softly and nodded. Carynne looked at the little boy in her arms and then gently handed him over to Gendry, who was basically sitting on the floor now. The baby immediately calmed down as he looked up at Gendry with those big, familiar blue eyes. Arya leaned over as they looked at him, and he smiled up at both of them, and Arya felt her heart skip a beat.

"That is the first time he has smiled," Carynne whispered. "I'd be honored to stay and help you look after him. Shennen was the only thing I had left in the Riverlands; my own husband and children did not make it through the war." Jon came over and helped Carynne stand and said something about getting her something to eat and a place to sleep, but Arya couldn't take her eyes away from the baby in Gendry's arms. She was shaking a little when Gendry passed him off to her, and it was so different from the first time she held Jojana or Ygritte. This felt different as this little boy looked up at her.

"He needs a name," Gendry whispered as Arya rocked him in her arms. They were both sitting on the floor of the Great Hall, and Arya wasn't going to move anytime soon.

"Ned," Arya said softly. "I'd like to call him Ned. I want that name to be associated with life and not death. I want to hear that name and not have it hurt anymore." She looked up at Gendry and he pressed his forehead to hers. The three of them just breathed together for what felt like a very long time.

"Ned is a fine name," Gendry replied. If the two of them spent the next hour on the floor rocking little Ned in their arms and silently crying, then no one said a word about it. Arya couldn't look away from the life in her arms, and she always knew that she wanted to be a mother someday but seeing the little boy that she was going to call her son was overwhelming in a way she couldn't put into words. She leaned into Gendry's presence, and they held up each other, just as it should be.

+++

It took a month for Arya to freak out and say that she wasn't cut out to be a mother, but Sansa, Meera, Val, and everyone else shut that down real quick. Ned was a good baby, very quiet, and he hardly ever cried. He would just watch everyone with those big blue eyes like he knew something that the rest of them didn't. Arya lost many hours watching him back, and sometimes she felt her heart seize in her chest. She was a mother, Gendry was a father, they were raising a child together in Winterfell with her family surrounding her.

Arya thought back to those first days in the Riverlands when they were acting as Wolf and Bull. She thought about what it felt like when Mina and Prycella told her that she wouldn't be able to have children. At the time, Arya didn't think much of it because she didn't know if she was going to live another day, let alone worry about settling down for a future. Back then, she was the daughter of a dead house, and now she was a princess of the North surrounded by her family and so much happiness that Arya thought there wasn't any possible way it could be sustainable. There had to be something terrible waiting right around the corner to disrupt everything that they had fought for, yet nothing came.

Over the course of those six months, everyone came to visit. Edric, Mya, and Bella all came the moment they heard the news, and Arya loved watching the Baratheon's gather around Ned and just stare at him with a little smile. They mourned the sister that they never knew and learned so much about her from Carynne. No one in the castle was better at watching the children when everyone else was busy, and Carynne loved it. It was only a few hours a day, and she said that she had the energy to do that right now. When everyone was older, that was a different discussion.

Yara came to visit as well, and she doted on both Ned and Ygritte that was just adorable to watch. Elemy was asking if they could visit the Iron Isles someday, and Yara said it would be fine and that no one would ever insult them again. Theon and Sansa weren't sold on the idea yet, but Arya knew that Elemy just had to ask enough times, and they would give her whatever she wanted.

Meera and Bran took Jojana on her first trip away from the castle and went down to the Neck to meet the rest of the Reed family. They promised to travel down more often now that Jojana was old enough, and the Reed family was incredibly thrilled with their little princess. Jojana came out with a spear that she was too small to throw now, but Arya knew that she would be deadly someday if her mother had anything to say about it.

Ygritte was the missing piece that brought Jon and Val together. When Arya saw them, she saw her mother and father. She saw a love that was built on respect and loyalty, and that was only going to go stronger as the years went on. Val brought the Free Folk to Winterfell to celebrate Ygritte's birth, and when Tormund held the tiny baby in his arms and learned her name, he openly wept. Jon and Val continued to establish themselves as rulers, and every month, the North felt more and more settled.

Daenerys and Quentyn also came to visit to meet the babies and see Winterfell. It was a good visit, and there was something about the way that Bran was watching them that seemed to indicate that he knew something. He didn't say anything, and when Arya pressed him about it, he said nothing. Arya watched the dragon fade from sight and wondered what her little brother had seen.

Ygritte and Ned were both old enough to develop little personalities, and Arya loved to watch it. She was looking forward to a day with her son when Nymeria suddenly howled. She looked outside and saw her wolf running in a circle and anxious in a way that she hadn't ever seen before. Arya passed a sleeping Ned to Carynne and raced downstairs. Gendry emerged from the forge, where he was in the middle of several commissions from various Lords around Westeros, and he frowned as well.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"I don't know," Arya replied. Nymeria ran for the gate and then turned around to run around them. "You want us to come with you?" Nymeria howled again, and this Ghost joined in as well. Arya and Gendry saddled two horses and assured her family that they would be back soon. As soon as they were through the gates of Winterfell, both Nymeria and Ghost took off running. Arya kicked her horse into a canter, and they began to follow. They weren't being led far away from Winterfell, but it was far enough away that Arya was glad she thought to grab Needle. Nymeria and Ghost were standing in a clearing about five miles from Winterfell, and they were circling something. Arya glanced at Gendry, and he climbed off of the horse as well.

They approached whatever the wolves were surrounding carefully. Arya didn't know what to expect, perhaps a body or someone that needed to be buried, and when it became clear what it was, her heart skipped a beat. Nymeria and Ghost were circling the body of another direwolf that was dead in what looked like a ray of sun. It was as if the forest itself parted when she died, and a group of small pups surrounded her. Arya didn't think she was going to be able to breathe because this is exactly the scene that her father found with Robb, Jon, and Theon all of those years ago.

Arya walked forward and looked at the small group of pups trying to wake their mother up. She counted six pups that were moving around. It was just like the last time, the same amount of pups, and Arya thought she was going to pass out.

"There's too many," Arya said softly as Gendry knelt down next to her. Nymeria and Ghost walked over, and the pups began to move away from their mother's corpse and over to Arya and Gendry and the other wolves. One of the pups climbed into her lap, and Arya thought she was going to cry. It transported her to a different time, a happier time, and it was overwhelming.

"Maybe not," Gendry said as he reached forward to pet one of the pups gently. "You told me the story of how your father found the pups for you and your siblings. There are six pups here and only four Stark children back at Winterfell, right? That's what you mean?" Arya nodded silently, and she was forever grateful that Gendry knew her so well that she didn't have to say much. "Well, Sansa and Bran could raise the extra two until more Stark's join us. They don't have their wolves anymore like you and Jon; maybe this is good for them. Maybe that's what they're meant to do."

"Like it was meant to be," Arya said as she looked at the piles of squirming fur. Her family was so connected to the direwolves, and now the wolves had come home to bless them again. Arya didn't know if she believed in the Old Gods anymore, sometimes she wasn't sure, but right now, there was no denying what this was; a blessing. "Let's take them home," Arya said. Ghost and Nymeria each took a pup in their mouths, and between herself and Gendry, they could carry the other four. It was too rough to ride, so they carefully walked back to Winterfell.

The castle peaked over the horizon, and the pups in her arms seemed to relax immediately as if they knew they were going somewhere safe. As if they knew they were home. Arya glanced at Gendry as he cooed at the wolf pup in his arms; she thought about little Ned and the rest of her family back at Winterfell safe and sound. The closer they got, the more it felt like a final weight was being lifted from her chest. A burden that she had carried since that day in King's Landing that changed her life. It was gone, it was finally, really gone, and when Arya Stark walked through the gates of Winterfell with six new direwolf pups in her arms, she finally felt at peace.