This is a fine day, Lord Gendry Baratheon thought, taking a deep breath to taste the sea smell he learned to love. The sun was shining bright at last after days of thunderstorm, his children were well even if little Arya was... well her wild and undisciplined self. He really didn't exepct the gods to grant his wish that much... His lady wife was fine and maybe with child again and a traveller asked an audience with him for he had new material to show him. Even if Gendry has been a lord for twelve years, he never stopped to smith, so from time to time, a smith or traveller would stop to talk to him about forging techniques or would try to sell him materials.
So, it was a great day. He turned toward his eldest son, Robert. « -I can't believe you are coming with me at the forge ! I thought you hated it ! » Robert seemed a bit akward before he answered
« -Well, to be honest, I want to meet the traveller. I heard the servants say he comes from the West. It's exciting, isn't it ? » In his enthousiasm, he didn't notice his father's frozen face. West ? West of Westeros ? He once knew someone who went that way.
His followed his son on the path that led to the castle's forge, his thoughts wandering wildly. There was a tall silhouette there, waiting for them. « -My lord, I'm honored to meet you. » said the man as he knelt. « -Arise and be welcomed at Storm's End. I have to say I'm quite curious about the material you brought. And my son, Robert has many questions to ask you I believe, since -from what we heard- you come from the West. »
The man seemed very stressed, gulped with difficulty. « -I do have material to show you my lord but that's not the true reason I came to you. Maybe it would be better if your son waited outside while I tell you everything. » Gendry's spirit went blank. The true reason ? The man's stress began to become his. « -Alright. Robert, wait outside for a bit. » His son almost protested but kept his mouth shut when he saw his father's serious look. He went ouside, as he was asked.
« -You can show yourself, lad. » said the traveller. A little hooded silouhette came out of the shadows. Gendry felt that his life was about to change, drastically. Tiny hands appreared as the little hooded person took away the hood.
Gendry had the impression to be under a spell. His son Robert was before him, a bit taller and broader but, it seemed to be him : pale skin and raven locks. No, his eyes. The young boy rose up his steel grey eyes until he met Gendry's. Those eyes, so alike snowstorms. He couldn't leave them. He managed to ask, his voice low and uncertain « -What is your name boy ? » The boy lowered his gaze, grasped nervously the hilt of a Bravosii sword. A sword Gendry knew too well. « -My mother named me Yoren. »
Yoren. The grey eyes. The Bravosii sword, Needle. He closed his eyes for a second and asked « You're Arya's son, aren't you ? » Yoren, clearly not trusting his voice nodded. A devastating feeling rushed over the lord a Storm's End. Arya had a son, with him. This night, the only one they spent together created a new life, the little boy before him.
Gendry knelt, wanting to end the fear he read in his son's gaze. « -Come here, son. » His voice was hoarse because of the emotions he felt. The boy was hesitant at first but he approched. Gendry took his son, Arya's son in his arms. Yoren tensed at the begining but quickly relaxed and answered his father's embrace.
This moment felt like eternity to Gendry. He was holding his eldest child against him, a child he didn't know he had. When they parted, both father and son had tears in their eyes. « -Mother told me to come here. She said you would take care of me because you were a good man, because you are pack. »
Gendry's heart tighted at these words. After all those years, despite the sea that laided between them, she still considered him as pack. « -Of course I'll take care of you. You're my son, my blood. » His Flea Bottom accent was back, as it always did when he was upset. A tiny smile finaly made its way on his son's lips. « -But tell me, what happened to your mother ? Why are you here ? Not that I'm not happy about that, don't be mistaken. » Where is Arya ? Why does our son carry her beloved sword ?
The young boy seemed to be about to talk, but no sound crossed his lips. The traveller came closer to the boy and said « Maybe it would be better to talk about it later. We had a hard journey and the lad's very tired, and probably hungry. » Gendry completely fogot the traveller ! He turned towards him to inquire about his identity but Yoren beat him to it. « This is Privan, Father. He's a smith and my master. He volontereed for escort me here. »
A wide smile appeared on Gendry's lips : his son was a smith's apprentice ! A thing they would talk about later, a passion they had in common. « -Alright, let's go back to the castle. Here, you'll bathe and eat. We'll talk later. » He ruffled his son's blacks locks.
As soon as they went out of the forge, Gendry noticed Robert wasn't here anymore. Where did he go ? He seemed very intrigued by Privan, the Western traveller and determined to talk to him... The lord of Storm's End refused to think about it now. He wanted to enjoy Yoren's presence at his side, this son he did not know he had, this boy who was a mix of Arya and him.