A/N: This is my first major story so please be kind and just a bit patient. I promise that the drama will pick up soon and based on the description from the top it will be a short story. So I hope you enjoy it.

Oh and I don't own these characters, sadly. They belong to GRRM.

The Wolf, the Stag, and the Dragon

Chapter 1: Bittersweet Reunions

It had been said that the glory of the North was restored when the last remaining Starks returned to reclaim Winterfell. Sansa, who had been hiding in the Vale, had been awaiting the perfect opportunity to take down the turncloak, Roose Bolton and his bastard, Ramsay Snow. But before she could put her plan into action, the Vale received a raven from Winterfell saying that the North had been reclaimed by none other than Arya Stark herself. Filled with both joy and hesitance, she sent an envoy to ensure that Winterfell castle was being held by a Stark or the Stark bannermen.

It was two weeks before the eldest Stark sister heard any news from the North before a messenger arrived in the Eyrie. Sansa was surprise to see that the messenger did not come alone but with a few other men with no sigil on their armorer. They were escorted inside quickly and only then did the auburn haired girl come face to face with the younger sister she had not seen for nearly five years.

"Arya?" she slowly called out.

"Sansa!" the younger girl cried out.

Both sisters ran to each other and collided on to the floor as tears ran down their cheeks. They clutched each other tightly, afraid to let the other go.

"I knew it! I knew you got away!" Arya sobbed.

"I did! And I knew that it wasn't you up there! I always knew you would escape." Sansa weeped.

"Yes, and now we can go home. To the North, to Winterfell, to Bran and Rickon and Jon." Arya whispered.

Sansa pulled away from her sister and cupped her face.

"Bran and Rickon are alive?" she questioned. The younger sister nodded with a smile. Sansa held her close and finally uttered her heart's desire.

"Let's go home."

As soon as Sansa set things straight in the Eyrie, the Stark sisters made their way to Winterfell. The trip took almost two weeks but neither complained when they finally reached the outskirts of the castle. Along the way, Sansa couldn't help but notice how her sister seemed to favor one of the knights above the rest. The knight was handsome and muscular with shaggy coal hair and piercing blue eyes, strong and tall. There was something familiar about him that she couldn't quite place but thought nothing more of it.

Once they reached the gates of the castle, Arya strode in without a second thought and motioned Sansa to do the same. When they reached courtyard, they were greeted by the youngest Stark boys. Sansa immediately hopped down from her horse and ran toward her brothers. They all cried as they huddled together.

"Bran! Rickon! Oh my sweets, how I missed you both!" Sansa cried.

"Sansa I knew you'd come back to us." Bran stated. "I knew you wouldn't abandon us!"

As the three Stark children embraced each other, Arya promptly made her way to the Godswood. Standing in front of the weirwood tree, Arya can no longer contain the sobs that escape from her throat. She knows that she should be happy to be with her siblings again, but can not reconcile the loss of her father, her older brother, and her mother. Filled with rage at the thought, she pulls Needle from her waist and begins lashing out at the carved face on the tree. Screams of loss, anger, and vengeance fill the peaceful Godswood. Arya continues slashing at the tree until she feels a pair of strong arms encase her in a hug. She drops Needle and grips the one person that has been at her side in her darkest times, Gendry.

He wraps his arms around her and holds her as she screams and cries for all that she has lost. It becomes dark when Arya is finally able to pull away from the blue eyed boy. He gently reaches out to her and she nestles back in to his arms. Gendry leads them to the base of the tree and they sit there in silence and darkness as the leaves continue to fall around them.

"Gendry?"

He looks down at her face that is now red and swollen from crying and shouting. "What is it?"

"I love you."

He sighes and kisses her nose. "I know. I know. I love you too, Arry."

She reached up to hold his face in her small hands. "I just want you to know that okay? I know that I never say it but I love you and I don't know what I'd do with out you. I really need you to know that." She inched her lips to his and he leaned in to her kiss. It was soft and warm but brief. She broke away meeting his glaze. His bright blue bore into her stormy grey and held her gaze.

"I don't need for you to tell me what I already know." he said as he placed one hand on her face. "And I honestly don't know what I'd do without you! Arya you are everything to me and I wouldn't bear it if I lost you. I love you. Always have, always will. And nothing is going to tear us apart; not your highborn status or my baesborn birth. Nothing. I'll never let you go again."

Arya felt the tears that formed in the corners of her eyes as he poured his heart out to her. Gendry captured her lips in a passionate kiss, feeling the warmth of her tears on his cheeks. He kissed her until their lips were red and swollen. Arya looked at her lover again and repeated his words.

"I love you. Always have, always will. Nothing is going to tear us apart. Nothing. Never let me go."

She didn't know what awaited them come morning but in that moment all she knew was what he promised.

A promise that Gendry swore he would carry out.

A promise that gave them hope.

And a promise between two young lovers.

She kissed him once more before curling into his chest and letting sleep take her.

A/N: Reviews? Thoughts? Let me know if you liked it.