Hi hello and welcome to the second chapter of "My Forest Love, Your Forest Lass". I hope you all like they way I decided to portray what brought Arya back to Westeros. I think I might do a few of these 'flashbacks' throughout the story, but only if you guys want to see them! So read on and review and let me know your thoughts! Thanks for reading!
Much Love,
Rin xoxo
Ayra's POV
Then: 1 year ago
Quiet as a shadow. Swift as a deer. Fear cuts deeper than swords. She chanted her war cry in her head as she slunk back against a shadowed wall. The target had been found and she followed on his heels, always watching, waiting patiently. He had staggered his whole way home from the whore ridden brothel on the ports corner. Arya had to admit it was amazing what an exceeding amount of Valerian root could do. She felt her lips twitch in a smile as he staggered in an alleyway and promptly passed out, snoring all the while.
Quick like a snake. Calm as still water. Fear cuts deeper than swords. She clung to the shadows, her footsteps as light as a feather. She crept around the corner into the alleyway he had fallen asleep in. She brushed the wealthy merchant's hair back from his head as she knelt down beside his sleeping form. She smiled, her eyes void of emotion and pulled out a dagger.
"I have come to bring you the gift Gregor Harding and a gift you shall receive. Valar Morghulis." She whispered above him. Her hand jerked forward, driving the knife up through his heart. He wrenched forward in his sleep and cried out. She ripped her hand away, wiped the knife on his clothes, and stood as Gregor the merchant continued to sleep in a much more permanent way.
She took his face quickly and changed her own back to the face of Arya Stark, stuffing the two faces in her bag. She brought the targets face to the kindly man and watched as he housed in in the hall of faces. He had nodded to her, given her a few silver coins and turned away.
"I think you are ready." He called to her and she looked at him, pensive as ever.
"Ready for what?" She murmured.
He turned towards her and smiled swiping a hand over his face, pulling the skin away, and changing his features. "Ready to learn to use the guild's most treasured weapon of course. A girl has become No One, she can honor that with one last task."
He started to walk away and she stood there contemplating. Had she really made it to this moment? The moment she could finally truly be No One? Would she finally be able to rid herself of the dreams that still plagued her? The dreams of blue eyes and howling of wolves that confused her rather than make her feel normal. She could only hope and pray to the Many Faced God that this is what that meant. She looked up to find the Kindly Man several feet away and staring at her.
"Have you made your choice?" He asked.
She hesitated for only a second before nodding "What do I have to do?"
He smiled at her sadly before motioning for her to follow him. She followed him into small quarters with nothing more than a large round table and a handful of chairs. Two other men sat at the table and they all looked up when they walked in. She sat in a chair as the Kindly Man gathered papers and contracts and sat down with the three assassins.
He turned to one of the men first. The man had a beak like nose, dull brown hair and eyes the color of mud and moss, but she knew the face was not his, could see how the edges around his throat and up around his ears were slightly discolored. She could see the flakes of skin that refused to take from the face curling up as if only peeling. She shook her head and focused her attention on the Kindly Man and the assignment he was giving to the beak nosed assassin.
"You will get 5 silvers on your return and you are not to kill anyone else but the name given. Does a man understand?" The Kindly man asked and beak nose nodded before murmuring the name given and Valar Morghulis and standing. He walked to the door with his head bent forwards and disappeared out of sight.
The Kindly Man turned to the next man and gave him a small twitch of a smile. As she studied the man's features she realized he was less a man and more a boy. He had high cheekbones and green eyes. His hair fell in golden waves around his face and his jaw bone had the look of strengthening from round boy, to sharp young man. She looked carefully around the lines of his neck and throat. She found no peeling or discoloration, only smooth tanned skin. He was wearing his own face.
"You're lucky your first assignment is only a simple brothel owner. Easy to get in, easy to kill, easy to explain. You will sadly not get any coin from this assignment but you will prove your worth to the guild, and that is something very much needed from everyone here." His eyes slid to her as he said this and she held his gaze with ice in her eyes.
The poor summer boy only nodded, his whole form reeking of fear, stood and walked through the door. The Kindly man looked at the way she sneered at the boy and sighed shaking his head at her.
"A girl must remember how she came to us, scared, cold, and alone." She flinched as the levy's holding her memory back shook before finding their strength and she schooled her expression before nodding.
He looked down at the papers remaining on the desk and took a deep breath. "Usually for the last assignment before you're truly one of us, we give a warlord or an honored knight's name to receive the gift. But alas a situation has come up and we have a high demand for an even higher price. It's becoming increasingly imperative we finish this job swiftly."
He glanced at the papers before speaking again "The target is across the narrow sea, at the wall. You have heard the rumors of dragons and other's returning to the world no doubt?" She nodded warily and he looked up at her with a cautious look in his eyes.
"The target is a young Jon Snow turned Targaryen. He houses an army, three dragons, and a Targaryen Queen at his wall." Arya felt her whole world sway as the levies shook and cracked at the name. "He is said to have been under Eddard Stark's protection bound by an oath her gave to the bastard's mother Lyanna Stark. The client seems to think this boy wishes to crown himself a king."
Too many names, too many memories almost forgotten. Arya seemed emotionless, her eyes cold as ice, her lips in a firm line. On the inside though her mind was suddenly at war. The levy's cried out as she forced the images of grey eyes, dark hair, and a thin sword being put into her hand back behind the wall she had built around her mind.
The Kindly man watched her intensely looking for any sign of her knowing the target, remembering him from a time before she was a girl, when she was someone. He continued as he saw nothing "He is at the wall having just finished defeating White Walkers and other's alike. He will only spend enough time there to regroup, bury the dead, and find supplies. Then he, the dragon queen, and dragons will march towards Kings Landing. He must be dead before then."
She could hardly breathe as the Kindly Man looked at her expectantly. She was to kill Jon, the last surviving member of the pack. Her pack. She tossed the phrase around in her head reaching for the familiarity before shrinking back to No One.
"How does killing a dragon's bastard end an impending war? The other side still has a queen and dragons. They will come with fire and take what they want in blood." She argued.
"You know it is not a girl business to know such a thing. A girl is to accept a name and give the gift, nothing more, and nothing less." He said sternly and she looked away slightly abashed.
"Now if a girl accepts the name she must leave immediately. We've already waited long enough, any longer and it will be too late."
She nodded at him as the fire started to rush through her chilled skin. Her face was calm but her heart, long since forgotten, began to fire in her chest. "Can I really kill this Jon that stirs so much inside me?" She thought to herself. This was the last step towards everything she had worked so hard for, the last step before she could truly forget. One more thing before she could accept the cool embrace of nothing, become no one and leave all her memories behind. She schooled her face once more and stared into the kindly man's eyes.
"I accept the name. I will deliver the gift on the behalf of the Many Faced God."
The Kindly Man smiled another sad smile and nodded "Of course child. Off with you now, when you return your life as no one truly begins."
-A&G-
Arya's first steps on Westeros soil were no different than any other steps she had taken. East Watch by the sea was cold and damp, the smell of sea and salt heavy in the air and she drew her cloak closer. She stared up at the looming wall, a grimace on her face. She found and paid for a horse easily enough. The road to Castle Black was a cold, unforgiving one yet she found herself reveling in the cold rather than shying away from it. The snow was thick and deep and called for a more careful trot lest her horse get stuck and break a leg.
She spent her nights huddled in her cloak not wanting to risk lighting a fire and her days crawling at a snail's pace towards her next receiver of the gift. Days turned to weeks and Ayra's fondness of the cold turned to a heated despise. When she finally found herself at the gates of Castle Black she didn't know how to approach the situation. Her face itched and felt uncomfortable from wearing the face of a blonde girl over her own for so long and her slim sword at her waist suddenly felt like a heavy weight.
"Stop! You there by the gate! Turn back! We have no supplies or room for anyone!" A voice called from the sentry station above the gate and Arya schooled the face that wasn't hers and forced tears to fall from her eyes giving a pathetic sniffle.
"Please Sir. I hear a retinue rests here. The Dragon Queen herself behind the gates. I have some coin if it'll please you? I wish to join her army."
The man let out an echoing laugh and called down to someone on the other side of the gate "Hey Lord Snow come see what we got on the other side of the gate! Some skin and bones wants to make herself a warrior!" the man bent at the ribs laughing obnoxiously and Arya sneered at him.
"How many times do I have to tell you it's either Jon or Lord Targaryen now Trent? Open the gates. Let me see for myself." A voice called from the other side and her heart lurched in her chest, the levy of her memories shaking uncomfortably.
Arya quite literally shook herself and kept a calm stoic look on her face as the men on the other side pushed and pulled at the gate. When it finally opened her eyes found several things at once. Scorched towers spiraling up into the sky, chunks of the wall buried in the snow, a gaping hole in the 700 foot tall structure, and a man with inky, curly locks and grey eyes.
She fell to her knees in a sob of grief and pain as the levy shook once more and broke flooding her with long forgotten memories. The man before her handing her the sword at her hip and words of "Stick 'em with the pointy end.", a white wolf with red eyes, a girl with auburn hair screaming as a man's head was struck from his body, and those blue eyes that haunted her every dream and whispering of "M'lady".
She shook with the weight of going from No one to Arya in a matter of seconds. She heard commotion around her, but could hardly see in front of her. Wolves howled in the distance in sync with her wails of misery. She swiped a hand over her face, pulling the façade into her palm and then thrust it into the snow. The man who had caused this torture stood above her a hand on her shoulder shaking her back into reality. She scrambled back with a growl in her throat and kept her eyes on the snow, hiding her face.
"Hey… Uhm are you alright My Lady?" The oh so familiar voice called from a few feet away and she chuckled through the tears and pain and snot shaking herself once more.
"I'm not a Lady. After all these years I thought you'd at least remember that…Jon." She looked up into his eyes that were so similar to her own and he gasped taking a step before falling to the ground in front of her in a heap of black.
He reached out to touch her but hesitated as if he were afraid she would disintegrate at the slightest touch. She gave him a watery smile and reached out taking his hand and pressing it to her face.
"I'm here, I'm real, it's ok." She breathed.
That was all it took and Jon gave a soft sob before pulling her body onto his knees and wrapping his arms around her in an embrace almost too tight. They fell apart together whispering words of 'how?' and of love as well. His face buried in her hair and hers in his chest everything settled into perspective for Arya all at once. She laughed with more joy than she had felt in four years and he laughed with her through their still gasping sobs and tears.
Jon pulled away and turned his head towards the crowd that had gathered and gave a joyous yell "My sister is alive! The Lady Arya lives!" and the crowd whooped with their Lord and the wolves howled ceremoniously in the distance and Arya was finally home.
Now
Arya hadn't slept in three days. The maester had told her two days ago that they were out of the woods, Gendry would recover and awake soon. Arya believed him but it didn't make it any easier to take her eyes off of him. He is alive. Arya kept repeating to herself. It was all she'd said besides his name since he'd passed out in the snow outside Winterfell's gates. She had expected him to come to her with Nymeria, but hadn't anticipated him almost dying in the process. She had cursed herself numerous times since the initial shock of almost losing Gendry. She should've known the stupid bull shouldn't travel alone especially in the north where the winter winds had not calmed quite yet. So she worried over him, washing him with a rag whenever the fever was too much and reading to him whenever he was caught in a night terror.
She stood from the chair and walked to the small window on the other side of the room staring at the ruins down below. The main castle had been easy to rebuild, only the great hall needing attention, but the rest of the grounds, the many towers and the walls of the fortress would take years to restore to what they once were. She leaned her head on the cool glass and sighed at the weight on her shoulders. When she had returned to Westeros she had not had all these troubles and some days she missed being No one, but then she would see Sansa smile or get a letter from Jon all the way from the Red Keep and she would know every bit of stress and pain was worth it to have her pack back together again.
"You shouldn't worry so much, you'll get wrinkles." A weak voice called from behind her and she spun around quickly.
Gendry looked like seven hells and he knew it, but he couldn't find it in him to care when she was standing across the room, looking so beautiful. She crossed the room swiftly and took her seat again before taking his hand.
"How do you feel?" She murmured quietly avoiding his eyes.
He chuckled but the laugh gave way to a cough which made him wince at the soreness of his body. "I feel like death, but its well worth the price of finally being here." he looked around the room then, noticing the finery of it all. "Am I in the castle?"
She laughed "Of course, where else was the Maester supposed to tend to you? You're a guest at my request. If you want to stay that is." She rushed to give him a way out and chewed on her lip glancing anywhere but at him.
"Well I didn't almost die out in the cold to just say my hello's and take off, so I guess I can be your guest." He made himself sound despondent and she glanced at him worriedly before seeing the wolfish smile on his face and gasped.
"Stupid!" She laughed and punched him in the shoulder which left him groaning in pain and her worrying over him.
"Oh Gendry! I'm sorry! I forgot." She looked down at her lap and he took her hand in his again.
"Hey it's ok. Stop blaming yourself" She opened her mouth to give a rebuttal but he shushed her "I might have spent five years away from you, but I still know when you're blaming yourself Arry. When you blame yourself you glance around the room and won't look the person in the eye." She blushed and looked at him, really and truly looked at him.
His hair had gotten longer and hung in his eyes a bit now, he was of broader build now, his sculpted chest just barely showing above the sheets, and he now took to having a bit of scruff along his jaw that made him look… well handsome. At that thought Arya blushed again and looked away quickly. He paid her no mind and instead took a lock of her hair between his fingertips.
"Its long now." He murmured quietly wrapping the locks around his finger.
She laughed quietly and reached with the hand that wasn't entwined with his to brush his hair back from his eyes. "So is yours." She whispered and he smiled up at her in a way that made her heart lurch in an unfamiliar way.
His fingers abandoned her tresses to find her face and he trailed her cheek with a feather light touch. Her face heated up at the touch but she leaned towards it nonetheless. Her hand in turn fell to his jaw and her thumb grazed his scruff lightly. His eyes were awash with a drowsy happiness and he pulled her hand to his lips and kissed it gently.
"Where have you been Arya?" He asked in a voice so worn down with emotion it nearly broke her to hear it.
She opened her mouth to answer but the door swung open. She shrank back from his touch but kept his hand in hers as Maester Edrick entered the room. His eyes were alight with amusement at their position, but he forced his chuckle back and instead moved toward the bed.
"I see our patient has finally awoken. Maybe now My Lady will rest herself and eat hmm?"
Arya blushed as Gendry raised his eyebrows at her and gave her a slight smirk "Just too worried about lol ol' me to rest? M'Lady I'm honored." She glared at him and dropped his hand before sticking her tongue out at him. That only made him laugh harder. She huffed annoyed and he tried to school his features.
"Forgive me M'Lady?" He pouted at her and held his hand out to her. She rolled her eyes but took it nonetheless.
"Stop calling me M'Lady, stupid."
"As M'Lady commands." He smiled at her and she blushed remembering where and when those words had first been spoken.
The long forgotten Maester cleared his throat though he seemed regretful to interrupt their bickering. They turned to him with wide eyes and flushed cheeks having almost forgotten the Old man stood there.
"Well he seems to be in good spirits and the fever is gone. I say a few days rest and he'll be good as new My Lady. Should I bring you something to eat My Lord?"
Gendry paled and looked at Arya in a pleading fashion. "Just Gendry will suffice Maester. He is not fond of titles but if you insist Ser Gendry will do I suppose." Gendry scowled at the last bit and Arya giggled.
"Yes of course Ser Gendry some food perhaps?" Gendry squirmed at the Old Maester's words but nodded anyways and Maester Edrick chuckled before exiting the room.
Gendry suddenly felt a weight of what felt like a thousand sacks on his chest and his eyes grew heavy. Arya noticed and laughed. "Go to sleep stupid bull."
"Ok, but only if you come and lay down too. No offence M'Lady but you look like seven hells."
Arya pursed her lips and looked at the shut door. "Gendry…it wouldn't be proper." She squirmed under his gaze.
"Since when does the great Arya Stark care what's proper and what isn't?"
She glared at him and turned her nose up "I don't of course. Fine move your stupid self over."
He grinned and shuffled to give her room to lay beside him in the bed. She laid down careful not to touch him and closed her eyes. She felt his eyes on her but refused to look at him. Finally she heard him sigh and she begun to relax figuring he had given up and would go to sleep. Suddenly strong arms wrapped around her and pulled her into something solid and she squealed.
She opened her eyes to find herself face to face with his bare chest and she blushed before looking up into his blue eyes to find him grinning like a madman. She squirmed against him trying to put distance between herself and his half clothed form but he held fast, his strong arms keeping her captive.
"Just give it up Arry and go to sleep. Your squirming is distracting." He chuckled into her hair.
She huffed and relaxed tentatively relaxing into him and closing her eyes. He gave a deep sigh above her and she felt his hand combing through her hair in a soothing way that made her sigh in return.
"I missed you M'Lady." He whispered into her hair and she swallowed hard blinking back tears.
"I missed you too Stupid Bull." She laughed breathlessly her voice wavering with tears. "Goodnight Gendry."
He sighed deeply again and pressed a soft kiss to her hair "Goodnight Arya."
Ah yes some good ol' Gendrya fluff to end the chapter! I hope you all enjoyed this spliced together way of telling a story! Let me know your thoughts in a review and once again thanks for reading!
Much Love,
Rin xoxo
