Game of Thrones: Crossroads

Chapter 1 of a new Game of Thrones story, enjoy.

This chapter serves to introduce some of the main characters and also highlight how the Popular struggle is viewed from an outside perspective. It also lays the groundwork for events to follow, note Arya's behaviour; also for this fic, Arya and Gendry are the same, age 18; other ages will be mentioned in the story itself.

Disclaimer: Game of Thrones belongs to George R.R. Martin.

Chapter 1

It was lunch time at Westeros High School; many students were milling about; some heading to the cafeteria; some eating the lunches they brought with them. Others still were exiting the school grounds to nearby stores to buy lunch or, since their houses were close enough, heading home for lunch. Arya Stark smiled as she sat watching the other students walking around. She always ate around school, bringing her own lunch; after all her home was too far away and, as far as she was concerned, nothing and nobody could match her mother when it came to food. Most of her friends however had chosen to go home, or head out for food; but she didn't mind, they would be back soon. She was currently sitting with her two best friends; Gendry Waters and Shireen Baratheon. Arya smirked as she remembered how many people initially assumed Gendry and Shireen were brother and sister; they were in fact, only cousins. But they both had the same jet black hair and sapphire blue eyes. Both were very different personality wise too; with Gendry being cheerful, friendly and outgoing; although if you got him mad his temper rivalled Arya's, who was already infamous for her short fuse. Shireen by contrast was shy and usually kept her face hidden; this was due to the old burn scars that covered the left side of her face and neck, she had never said how she got them, yet she always hid her face, ashamed of them.

Like Arya, Gendry had brought his own lunch too; currently he was sharing it with Shireen. Shireen didn't bring her own lunch as she was to find time to make it herself and her mother forgot to make her one, once again. Arya was also sharing her lunch with her friend, her own mother having made too much food.

"Thanks you guys, but you don't to do this." Shireen told them, smiling. "I can just go buy something."

Arya shook her head. "It's fine, go ahead, we always have too much food; there's plenty to spare."

Gendry nodded in agreement, adding with a laugh. "Just eat some before Hot Pie comes back."

They all laughed at that, knowing all too well about Hot Pie's appetite. Shireen then gave in and thanked her friends before helping herself to some food. As they ate they began making random small talk. Arya and Gendry held a brief discussion about a new video game due to be released that they were both interested in. There was a lull in the conversation then suddenly Shireen got a text on her phone, she checked it and thought for a moment before replying, she then turned to Arya and Gendry.

"Guys, I just remembered; that movie we were talking about seeing; it's out at the weekend, wanna go see it?" She offered.

Gendry was immediately interested and replied quickly. "Sure, sounds great, how about you Arya?"

They both turned to her and saw, to their surprise she was looking away from them, over towards the school doors, a strange expression on her face.

Neither of them could see anything, it seemed whoever or whatever Arya was looking at was gone. Yet Arya did not look away until Gendry spoke again?"

"Arry?"

Hearing Gendry's nickname for her she blinked and turned to face them, smiling again.

"Sorry about that." She replied quickly before clearing her throat. "Sounds like; sounds like a good idea."

They both noticed her hesitance but she seemed eager so they accepted it; all of them smiling. They finished their lunch and Shireen stood up, smoothing her skirt as she did so.

"I have to go help clean the library now guys." She told them.

Arya and Gendry stood up too. "We'll come with you."

Shireen raised an eyebrow at that. "Are you sure; it'll be kinda boring for you."

"We'll survive." Arya replied with a wave of her hand.

So, happy to have her friends accompanying her; they all departed, heading for the library. Once there Shireen began to work, cleaning up the library, sorting the books. Meanwhile, Arya and Gendry choose a random book and pulled it out. They then began reading through it; commenting on anything they found funny or odd about it and laughing, quietly though as they were in a library. Finally, after Shireen had finished they exited the library and spotted Hot Pie approaching them; the first of their friends to return. They smiled and began to approach him when suddenly; as he passed someone, he tripped. Arya glared, as did Gendry, they knew exactly what had happened and, with Shireen in tow, they hurried forwards towards the now prone Hot Pie and the gloating figure standing above him.

As she walked through the school corridors; Daenerys Targaryen was aware she was attracting a lot of stares. She wasn't surprised; her long silver hair tended to draw attention, it wasn't a common colour after all. She had just transferred to this school and was still trying to find her way around. She was surprised, when she asked for directions and such, to see a lot of boys seemed desperate to help out the new girl.

'Many of them have girlfriends, they should be more respectful to them.' She thought to herself, shaking her head.

Suddenly there was a sudden commotion which seemed to claim everyone's attention. She turned to face it and was shocked by what she saw. A tall blonde boy with green eyes and an unpleasant smirk; had just tripped up a poor overweight boy and was now standing triumphantly over him. Dany was shocked that nobody standing around her made any effort to help. She prepared to rush over when suddenly a muscular boy with black hair and blue eyes suddenly emerged, with him were two girls, both shorter; one had the same hair and eyes as him and, she noticed, burn scars on her face, the other had brown hair and grey eyes. Then suddenly, catching Dany off-guard, it was the brown haired girl, not the giant boy, who confronted the blonde boy, immediately arguing with him. The other two helped the overweight boy to his feet and the girl checked him for injuries. As she watched the blonde boy seemed to laugh and after some more argument left; scoffing. The brown haired girl glared after him before turning to join the other three as they left.

Dany looked around, throughout all of this nobody had moved, had let the incident play out. She turned to the girl standing next to her.

"What was all that about?" She asked.

The girl turned to her and smiled. "You must be new here. There are two groups of populars here. The blonde guy you say, that's Joffrey Baratheon; he and his group are one of the populars, they're…well, they couldn't be more like the populars you see in cheesy teen high school movies if they tried. Real assholes basically."

Dany nodded before asking. "And the other group?"

"The boy you saw get tripped up, Hot Pie; the three that rescued him, Gendry Waters and Shireen Baratheon, they're the ones that helped him up, Arya Stark is the one you saw get in Joffrey's face. They're part of the second group with their friends; they're good people. The only connection they have to the typical popular group ideals is they've either got a lot of money, or excel at something likes sports or that."

Finally Daenerys understood; she sighed, it looked like things were going to take a while to get used to at this new school.

End of chapter, hope you enjoyed it, read and review please.