Chapter two: On the Road to nowhere

AN: Holly molly this took a while to create, my apologies for taking so long.

This story was made for none profit, HPO and George R. R. Martin owns Game of thrones.

Gendry crashed through the brush and undergrowth that surrounded him with all the coordination of a drunken bull. The irony of that stray thought didn't escape the former blacksmith even as he looked over his board shoulders and saw Arya Stark not ten steps behind moving through the thick brush with barely a branch, trig or stone disrupted by her passage. She all but slipped through the tangled undergrowth like water though and open hand. She was almost ever inch a wolf that stalked it's pray. He was certainly glade that she was not a wolf…at least in the traditional sense. He was glad that she was not in fact a wolf and he was not her pray, for if it wasn't for the almost musical laughter that bobbled from her, like water from an underground spring he would never have known she followed him.

He couldn't hold back his own laughter which joined with hers in the morning chorus of bird's songs. He couldn't remember the last them he had this much fun. After his mother had passed much of his childhood had be consumed by the need to survive. It was only by the whim of a stranger that he had found himself apprenticed with Tobho Mott saving him from the street. From that day on his life had been dictated to proving his worth and improving his skill in the ways of blacksmiths, he never really had much of chance for fun. However he relished the chance for once in his misbegotten life to cut loss and have fun and there was no one else in Westeros he would rather to share this rare moment with than Arya Stark.

For a single moment it didn't matter that Westeros was at war and hundreds died, all for the sake of who's ass sat upon the iron throne, nor did it matter that the gold cloaks were after him for some unknown reason. He could even forget if only for a moment about the Night's Watcher uncertain march to the wall and even if he got to the wall he would likely never be graced with her presence again. He could forget about all these things, all that mattered was the he a bastard from flea bottom was being chased by one of the high born daughters of Winter Fell and even that was unimportant. All that matted to him in this moment was he got Arya to smile, not one of her fake smiles the ones that never once reached her grey eyes, know this was a true smile perhaps the first he had ever seen fill her face.

Their fun was not to last as he finally stumbled over the low branches of a weedy bush. Making him collide with the solid form of Yoren's back as the older man had his back to the wood as he finishing making his water, landing them both on their asses.

Following close behind Gendry but not close enough to share in his fate, Arya came to a swift and elegant stop. She took a quick measure of their surroundings. She was surprised to find that they were a fair distance away from the rear of the caravan, perhaps one hundred meters maybe more. She couldn't quite stop the small giggle which chose that moment to escape her at the sight of both men covered in mud. She quickly walked over to help Gendry up and off his ass, a grumpy expression having replaced the easy smile that had filled his broad handsome face moments ago. Despite his deep frown and cross eyes she couldn't help but smirk.

"You should work on your balance" she told him with a chuckle. "If it wasn't for your thick head I'd be worried you do yourself an injury one of these days," Arya said standing up on her toes and lightly tapped his head. Moving far faster than she ever thought possible, Gendry grabbed her thin arm and playfully pinned it behind her back and with his other arm he started tickling her side making her squeal like she had when she was still a little girl. When She and her brothers would pay pranks on the castle savants or their parents and kin.

Yoren pulled himself out of the mud and turned his attention to the tall black smith boy holding Arya with one arm solidly behind her back, his other hand moving up and down her side. Hearing the girl he'd sworn to protect, squeal like a stuck pig was all the provocation he needed. He marched over and slammed a meaty fist into the black haired boy's cheek, sending both the boy and Arya crashing to the ground. Before the former smith could full react to the attack, Yoren followed up with a series of kicks to the boy's lower back, resulting in Gendry letting out a series of pained yelps.

Arya picked herself up as fast as she could and put herself between Gendry and Yoren. "By all the gods Yoren what has gotten into you?" she yelled before Yoren shoved her aside to kick Gendry in the chest, coursing the boy to have a coughing fit. Arya pulled Needle out of its sheath and pressed it to Yoren's side soft enough so not to hurt him but firm and steady enough to convey her threat. "Others help you Yoren if you so much as hit Gendry one more time and I'll run you through," She told the night watchman keeping her voice steely.

He met her steel grey eyes and instantly knew, she wasn't kidding. "Stand aside girl… I'm going to make this flee bottom bastard regret trying to take advantage of a Lord's daughter," Yoren told her. Instead of relenting she pressed her tooth pick of a sword into his side a little harder. Yoren couldn't help but feel confused, 'why wasn't she grateful? He had saved her from being taken advantage of?' "Now see here from where I was standing he had you to rights and you were squealing like pig in heat… I promised ya Lord Father I'd protect you." Yoren told her, his tone indignant.

She lessened the pressure she applied with Needle slightly, easing herself out of her combat stance. "I know that and I thank you for it," she told him not unkindly. "I don't know what you think you saw, but you never need to protect me from Gendry," Arya told him, "Especial when we just having a little fun." She said while sheathing Needle and bending over to give Gendry a hand up. He leaned heavily on her as he wheezed, still recovering from becoming Yoren's practice dummy.

Yoren glared at her "If that's all it was then how come you two look like a couple of drowned rats?" Yoren asked his voice full of suspicion as he noted that both the Gendry's and Arya's clothes were soaked through and the way the boy leaned into to her as he caught his breath. He knew the two of them had bonded but he had no idea they were this close. He wasn't a prude by any stretch of the imagination, it wouldn't be the first time two future Night Watchmen had gotten 'close' on the road to the Wall or found comfort with some girl they happen across on their journey.

It certainly didn't help matters that it was clear to him that Arya was starting to grow into her looks, he doubted that the remaining Starks would thank him any if their youngest daughter had bedded a no name bastard under his watch. He reached out and grabbed the girl by the scuff of her shirt and pulled her away from the black smith boy making Gendry fall to his ass once again not having the strength at that moment, to hold himself up. "What were you thinking? I sent you of to get some water and you end up soaked to the bone and bedding some bastard" he told her, his voice dripping with menace.

Her eyes widened with shock "What…you think…Me…and Gendry…what NO! That's insane he would never…I would….!" Arya spurted feeling dumbfounded at the sheer audacity of what Yoren was suggesting. "Listen we weren't doing anything like that I swear to the old gods and the new, he really was just helping me with the water but he had to push me in to cover up a little…. Girl Problem I was having…. when Hot pie and Lommey brought me some food…" she said trailing off as a blush filled her face.

"What kind of problem would you need to cover up…?" He asked before his for brain caught up with what the girl was telling him, disbelief filled his face. "No you can't have had …that yet…" Yoren trailed as he paled at the thought "You an't even four and ten yet…"

"Apparently…girls can have their moon blood before then…" Gendry groaned as he sat up, as pain filled his features.

Yoren glared at the younger man. "You stay out of this…" he growled "be thankful that I don't run you through and toss your corpse to those Gold Cloaks!"

Arya broke free of Yoren's iron grip and stared him straight in the eyes, her own burning with anger. "You wouldn't dare! For god's sake he's known I am a girl for gods know how long and that I'm a Stark for the last week, he hasn't told a soul. We can trust him Yoren, I trust him!" she told the older man passionately.

Yoren pinched his brow in irritation as his neck muscles twitched and his skin flushed with anger. "I had one rule…"

Gendry finally managed to stood up "Maybe you should just give me to the Gold Cloaks anyway" he interrupted between heavy coughs "I mean it makes sense right…I'm a just a bastard black smith from Flea Bottom. I an't got no family at least any that's worth a dam and even Tobin Mott got sick of me and tossed me to the wolves…" he said before meeting Arya's shock filled eyes. "No offence mi'lady…and besides you got near on thirty others to look after you maybe it would be for the best"

Arya couldn't believe what her best friend was saying. "NO….NO you can't be serious Gendry!" she spluttered as all colour drained from her face as she started shaking. She couldn't loss Gendry she had lost enough because of Joffrey and the Queen lies, her father, his house hold guards, Syrio Forel and even Sansa's fate was uncertain. She refused to lose anyone else especially not Gendry. Even though she had only known him for a short while, she couldn't think of spending time apart from him. It would be like losing her father all over again.

She unsheathed Needle once more and put herself between Gendry and Yoren, setting into one of the combat stances that Syrio Forel had drilled into her. She turned to her side to make herself as small a target as possible and braced her legs apart and pointed her sword at Yoren's heart. "You will not take him! Not today, not ever!" she snapped at the Night Watchman her voice dripping with menace.

Gendry slowly stood up, pain raced through his body from where Yoren had kicked and punched him. He put a hand on Arya's left shoulder. "Arya…" he said as his dark blue eyes met her grey. "Do you trust me? Truly trust me?"

Arya blinked unsure why he was asking her if she trusted him, now of all times? "Yes of course" she stated as if doubt could never plant seeds in her mind.

"What if I was captured and they tortured me to get to you?" Gendry asked "all men have their limits" he told her simply.

She shook her head. "Not you Gendry. You wouldn't betray me, I know you" Arya stated.

He couldn't help but smile at her. "It means the world to me that you think that Arya. No one has ever believed in me like that before. But we have the face facts no one is that strong…I mean they even got your farther to lie….To whole realm for the sake of you and your sister," he told her as gently as he could but saw anger flare in her eyes. "And he if raised you. That means he was far stronger man than I could ever hope to be" he told her quietly.

Arya couldn't stop her body from trembling nor the tears which wet her eyes yet she shed not a one of them. "Gen…"

He moved his hand down from her shoulder, along her arm and finally resting his large callused hand on top of hers and pushed her sword down and away from Yoren's chest. "I don't want to die Arya" Gendry told her as he gently took Needle from her hand. "But if it's my life for yours and every ones else's…." he trailed as held Needle length wise in his hands studying it for a moment. He examined the blade while short for a rapier it was perfectly designed and balanced for someone of Arya's height and build. It had a simple yet beautiful elegance to it, with few if any design flourishes. "This really is good metal work" he told her with a chuckle, echoing the first words he had ever spoken to her when they first met, for what felt like a life time ago. "Arya you have to trust me now, ok! Can you do that? And please don't be angry at Yoren." he told her, the only response he got was a nod as she took her blade and sheathed it and stepped back.

Gendry breathed in a heavy sigh and met Yoren's steady gaze. He kneeled, never once breaking eye contact with the other man. "Just promise me you'll get her to Winter Fell" he asked calmly.

Yoren tilted his head and unsheathing his own long sword and lightly pressed it into the black smith's chest. "You're a brave lad…." he told the younger man, as he took the measure of Gendry. The boy was certainly afraid but the strength of his resolve was the likes to which he had rarely seen especial in one so young. He knew with certainty that the world would be a better place if more men took after this bastard. "The girl's right you wouldn't betray her and that's all that matters to me, the Night Watch is lucky to have someone like you, join our ranks" Yoren told him before sheathing his sword and leaning down and grasping the boy's hand and helped him to his feet.

Gendry felt relief flood through him "Thank you"

Yoren shook his head "Don't thank me yet boy… you may well wish for death after she's through with you for that little stunt." His voice full of mirth as he indicated the Stark girl whose face had turned bright red making her resemble a burning ember of a forge. "Arry does anyone else know about you?"

She glared at the two men but before she shook her head she thought better of it "I think that man in the cage the one with red and white hair, Jaqen H'ghar might know I'm a girl but I doubt he knows anything else" Arya said coolly. "If it means anything I don't think he'll tell anyone…and he did save me from those two cage rats." From out the corner of her eye she saw a strange expression cross Gendry's face at her at the mention of Jaqen H'ghar but at the moment she was too angry at him to care what issue he had with the imprisoned man.

"All the same I'll keep my eyes on him" Yoren said shooting a glare in the direction of the cage before he walked toward the caravan. The rest of the boys and men were now finishing up the cleaning of the camp site and preparing the caravan to start moving on. "Come on you ugly sons of whores, what's taking you so long?" Yoren bellowed like an Ox in heat as he started issuing orders and threats in equal measure. The camp became a hive of activity as the last of the mornings chores were finished and the supply and cage wagons were lashed to the donkeys and with the assistance of their human masters were pushed out of the mud.

Gendry shook his head in mild amusement "That old drunk has got some serious issues…" he trailed of as he felt a heavy smack across the back of his head. He turned just in time to block Arya's next strike. "Gods what was that for?" he asked indigently.

She stared at him for long moment her anger boiling. She lashed out at him with series a of firm pushes "You tick head…bull blooded…DOT" Arya yelled at him. "What was that for? WHAT WAS THAT FOR? ...Like you don't know." She yelled giving him another push but his massive muscular body didn't even budge. "You invited Yoren to kill you…you…YOU!" Arya fumed unable to finish her thought.

"Bull?" Gendry prompted with a smirk. He regretted his smirk almost as soon as it pulled at his mouth, as Arya shot him a glare that would have melted metal.

"This isn't a joke!" she told him her voice utterly serious. "Did you even consider that Yoren might have gone through with it and killed you? No of course not I bet it didn't even cross your mind" Arya fumed, turning her back to him.

"Arya he wouldn't have killed me!" Gendry stated plainly, in an effort to calm her, he tried to put a hand on her left shoulder but she smacked it away and turned her back to him. "Listen to me…Please…"he pleaded but she didn't even turn to glance at him, instead storming off towards the Caravan that was slowly leaving them behind. He trailed after her, his head hanging low. This wasn't like one of their normal arguments; those always resolved themselves fairly quickly. She hadn't been this angry since she had first told him she was a Stark and he started teasing her about it. "Arry please talk to me!" he asked as they caught up with the Caravan, keeping his voice low.

She whipped around as fast as a pit viper her grey eyes blazing "You could be dead in a ditch right now! Gendry the dead boy….do have any idea what that would be like for me? To see another person I care for die?" she told him her eyes misty with unshed tears. "…What you did was stupid and reckless" Arya told him.

He shook his head "I'm telling you he wouldn't have killed me, I know the look men get when they mean to kill someone…I've seen that look many times in Flea Bottom. I've see that look in those three in the cage" he said indicated the men setting in the cage on the largest of the three wagons. "I've seen that same look in your eyes Arry" he told her quietly.

"What do you mean?" Arya asked her gaze soften slightly as she was caught unawares by his admission.

"When we first met…when Hot Pie and Lommey pushed you to the ground and you drew Needle on them. When you told them about how you killed that stable boy…" he said his voice almost a whisper, his gazed of into the distance. "Don't say you were only bluffing because you're not that good a liar" he told quietly. So they wouldn't be overheard, through everyone else seemed to be too preoccupied with the now steady march through the muddy ground. "I saw that same darkness in your eyes…." Gendry emitted.

She kept her own gaze glued to the muddy ground "Gendry…You know I didn't set out to kill that boy…I didn't enjoy it…it was just something I had to do." She told him. "It was him or me…" Arya trailed off as the guilt of that kill ate away at her as it had been ever since she had escaped the Red Keep.

Gendry reached out a hand and gently lifted her chin. He studied her beautiful storm cloud eyes, he saw sadness and regret there, that wasn't the only thing he saw. He saw the flickers of something some dark and terrible abyss. How come someone so young could be so cold? It freighted him even more than having Yoren's sword tip at his chest. They were both silent for a long while.

"Arry I know that… just like I know you don't really need me to protect you from other people." He told her reluctantly, "You need me to protect you from yourself…" he took a long breath "I've heard you whisper to yourself in the dark of night…. when you think everyone else is asleep. What you plan to do with those people that had a hand in your father's death. I've seen that anger fester within you…" he told her earnestly "and it scares me, more that the gold clocks, more that Yoren, more than those three in the cage."

"I would never hurt you Gendry…" she told him earnestly.

He shook his head "That's not what I'm afraid of. I'm afraid that your hate will consume you… that you won't be you anymore! You won't be my friend…. someone I can count on….someone…..someone I care for….." he mumbled as he looked off into the middle distance. "You'll be just a thing that wears the face of my friend but really isn't, it just hates it just kills…. And I don't think I could bear to see that." Gendry told her only now meeting her gaze.

Arya crossed her arms over her chest. "What would you have me do? ... Gendry! Forgive them? They killed my farther, they have my sister held hostage doing God's know what to her….. They need to be stopped" she told him breathlessly as her anger boiled.

He looked to at her and lightly shook his head. "I never said you should forgive them…there is no forgiveness for that the Queen and her brat of son have done to you and yours…" he agreed quietly. "But it's a slippery slope Arry, how long until your anger turns it into something perverse?" he asked.

She looked away. "So what if it does?" Arya told him with a quiet but angry hiss as they caught up other stragglers of the caravan as they slogged through the muck and the mud of the road. She scanned the nearby men and boys, their muttered conversations and complaints drifted in the back ground, none of them were paying her or Gendry much mind. "…I need to make them pay….it's all I've got left…." She muttered her voice barely a whisper.

"That's not true…you still have you brothers…you still have your mother, your home…and they will get you sister back" he told earnestly her but Arya didn't meet his emphatic gaze. He reached out and gripped her shoulder making her regard him with those cold northern eyes. He could just make out his reflection in their grey depths. "You still have Hot Pie, Lommey and me…you still have me" Gendry told her shyly.

Arya looked up and met his gaze and saw herself, reflected in his storm blue eyes. She felt a heat build within her cheeks and flushed with warmth, she could have sworn that her heart started beating a little faster. "I suppose your right…" she trailed off and stared into the sky, a searching look filling her face.

Gendry fallowed her gaze but found nothing but a slightly cloudy sky in all directions. "Ok…. so what are you looking at?" he asked looking down, feeling slightly dumbfounded by Arya's actions. "Because I can't see anything but clouds"

"Pigs" Arya answered with a coy smirk, dropping her eyes to meet his bemused stare. "I thought for sure I'd see one flying" she said with a snicker. "After all it's not every day that Gendry Waters the bull black smith from Flea Bottom, is right about something."

He just looked at her dumbly for a long moment "Wow….Just wow Arry that was possible the worst joke I have ever heard….. It kind of hurt actually" Gendry told her his voice filled with easy mirth as he placed one of a hand over his heart; a faked pained expression filled his face.

She pouted "Well what do you know? You bull!" Arya said shoving him hard in the chest before she stormed off to where Lommey and Hot Pie were walking a few dozen or so meters a head.

Gendry made to follow her, until he noticed Jaqen H'ghar staring intently at Arya, from his vantage point inside the iron cage. Annoyance and another emotion he wasn't quite familiar with filled his chest as he saw the much older man eye her with unseemly attention. He walked over to the cage drawing the older man's gaze but not his attention. He returned Jaqen's with as much steel and fire as was contained within him. "What do you want with Arry?"

The fatter of the two other prisoners that shared the cage with Jaqen H'ghar leaned forward "Boy it'll be best not to trouble this one…he isn't normal" the man told him in a low frighten whisper. His skinny friend who was nursing a crudely splinted arm nodded in agreement.

Jaqen H'ghar smiled like a cat playing with its food. "A man wants nothing but to make sure that his little friend is well, the man could not help but notice the black smith boy and sweet boy, argue and, a man hopes all is well." He said with a smile that resembled the grin of a great well fed snake.

Everything about the older man made Gendry's skin crawl and his stomach turn. "Let me make one thing clear to you." He told the older man through gritted teeth "I don't care what you've done or to who…all that matters to me is that you did something bad enough to earn you a place in that cage and my gut tells to me nothing good can come of you! If you ever so much as look at her wrong or do something that leads her down the wrong path…." Gendry trailed sweating with pent up rage.

He leaned forward "There are many paths one can walk in this life…. How does the blacksmith boy know which one is right and wrong? And even if the blacksmith boy could judge such things, what would he do to the man?" Jaqen H'ghar asked with a coy smile.

"I know any path that you've walked cannot be the right one" Gendry told him coldly as he met the other man's unwavering gaze. "And as for what I would do? I would choke the life from your body with my bare hands" he told Jaqen with ever ounce of menace he could muster.

A slightly amused smile pulled at Jaqen H'ghar's lips. "The blacksmith boy need not worry. A man has no interest in hurting his friends. But the blacksmith boy should be careful who he is threating….friends are so hard to come in these lands and perhaps one day the black smith boy will need a man's help." He said quietly before leaning forward until his thin body was pressed up against the bars of the cage, a coy smile pulling at his thin lips. "Perhaps the man should not be the one to worry about hurting the lovely girl. Perhaps the blacksmith boy should look to his own actions instead. Perhaps it is not the man's path which is wrong but the boys…." Jaqen H'ghar's suggested not unpleasantly.

Gendry aimed a power punch right into the center of Jaqen H'ghar's chest sending him backwards with the shock of the impact, the other man quickly recovered and sat up looking more surprised than anything. "That was your one warning stay away from her!" he commanded in a low voice.

A cold predatory smile filled his face as Jaqen H'ghar watched the boy walk off to join the small girl and the other two boys that were of no interest to him. 'A Stark girl and one of the Baratheon bastard's' Jaqen thought to himself, letting a small chuckle escaped from a mouth that was not his. "This shall be an interesting journey" he told the two other prisoners giving them a smile that had them cowering at the far end of the cage as he retook his set and started whistling a merry tune.

By the time Gendry rejoined their small group of friends the day had well and truly arrived beating back the last of the cool morning air as the suns merciless rays beat down on the Night Watch caravan's weary travelers. While some attempts at conversation, were made they soon meandered into silence as they marched ever onwards. However much to both Arya's and Gendry's amazement and surprise the other two of their small group Hot Pie and Lommy they continued to have the energy to joke, talk and complain disputed the sun and the heat that beet down on them.

Arya barely payed attention to their conversation, which had like most of their conversations, she had come to realize in a very short time of knowing the two boys. Was a mix of complaining and what she liked to call boy bluster.

Her foot falls felt increasingly heavy as she struggled to stifle a yarn as her mind started to wonder. She felt a deep and profound yearning to return to the ever cold air that hung over Winter Fell. She longed for the cool breeze and taking dips in the local springs that some said were blessed by the Children of the Forest as even in the deadliest and coldest of winters never froze. It was through these springs that the great keep of Winter Fell was forever kept at a consent temperature. Bran the builder the progenitor of the Stark line builder of the Wall and Winter Fell as well as most of the keeps holding and wonders that doted the North had found some way to channel the warm waters of the springs into the walls and floors of the great keep.

Arya's mind drifted as her eyes felt increasing heavy. She dreamily recalled the legacy of her ancient blood line and the happier times of her childhood before King Robert came and the ill times that followed. She fondly recalled a boy she had played. Yorggan he worked in the Winter Fell kitchens had something of a crush on Sansa about two years back. Sansa never noticed his affections or how the scrawny red headed river lands boy had fallowed her round like a puppy.

Sansa herself had at the same time being mooning over some visiting Knight's son who was just as self-absorbed. The irony that he barley glanced at her had brought much mirth to the other Stark siblings.

The memories filled her mind pushing the present into the back ground. Her eyes closed but she kept moving forward like a how a chicken without a head. The sights the sounds and smells of her home filled her to the brim.

The summer flowers where in full bloom, the sky was grey and overcast. A slight chill filled the air. Fat bees worked tirelessly to harvest nectar for their ever hungry hives, here and their rabbits munched on the vegetables and other plants, grown in the massive gardens. Cheeky and playful squirrel's played in the massive old and weathered trees that provided a nice cool shade for the gardens, birds big and small danced though the chilly air.

Robb, Jon, Theon Greyjoy and herself sat on one of the low walls around the gardens watching the knights son stroll through Winter fells gardens followed by a moon eyed Sansa who was in turn followed by a love stuck Yorggan. A slight grimace pulled at Arya's lips as she and her brothers and Theon sat on the garden wall watching the parade of fools.

Arya hid her face between her hands as the first notes of Sansa 'love song' drifted lazily over to them. Sansa may have being blessed with their Mothers Tully good looks but she could not hold a tune to save her life. The notes she tried to belt out ranged between a cat being straggled and a fish gasping for breath. The expression that filled the knights, son's face was clear to everyone in the gardens save Sansa who was blissfully ignorant of the bewilderment and horror that filled his handsome features.

"You see I wasn't exaggeration! This is what I've had to put up with ever since Mother has forced me to take singing lessons with Sansa… two years of this Robb! I'm begging you! I don't know how much longer I can endure this!" Arya pleaded making her eyes go as wide as possible.

"I don't know how you've lasted this long Arya…" Theon said with a devilish smirk "I would have thrown myself from the highest tower after a day of having to listen to that…but look on the bright side if she gets married of some dick. She can always sing him to death…" he said with a hearty laugh.

Jon reached over Arya as she sat between him and Theon and slapped him across the back of the head. "That's my sister your talking about Greyjoy show some respect"

Theon rubbed his head and anger frown pulling at his mouth "What's it matter to you Snow? It an't like she holds you in high regard there is too much of her Mother in her…and we all..."

"Finish that sentence Theon…" Robb stated his normal calm and even temped voice now deep and dripping with an unstated threat.

Arya was taken aback by the sudden change in the atmosphere. "Hay, hay now let's all calm down right! And get back to what's important…"

"Since when has my baby sister the one trying to defuse an argument…who are you and what you done with our little she wolf?" Robb asked with a good natured smirk replacing the dark look that had briefly filled his face.

Jon looked at his little sister, his left eyebrow razed "He has a point; normally you'd be one adding wood to the fire. What's the matter?" Jon asked wrapping one arm around her small frame and with his free hand, started ruffling her braided hair, making a mess out of it.

"Ahhh JON stop…" she shrieked. Jon did so as a bewildered expression filled his face, one shared by both Robb and Theon. "You don't know how long it takes for the Septa to braid my hair…" Arya wined as she started to re-braid the loosened locks of dark brown hair, which fell across her face. Seeing their expressions of confusion "I've got better things to do then to have the Septa waste hours of my life trying to make me a copy of Sansa and Mother...three hours out of a day is bad enough…"

"Maybe if you cleaned you hair like lady Catelyn asked…oww" Theon trailed off as Arya elbowed him in the gut.

She glared at her family's ward "The day I start acting like Sansa and chasing boys, you strap me to a mast of a ship and send me into a maelstrom for I would have lost my mind…" Arya told them firmly.

"Maybe you won't always feel that way" Robb said quietly. Jon and Theon both turned and looked at him like he had grown two heads.

"Robb… I would stop their before she starts planning some…." Jon trailed of as he saw Arya looked away profound sadness filling her small round face. "Arya what's wrong…?" he asked nervously.

She gulped nervously "Well Robb's not half wrong is he? I mean its bound to happen one day isn't it? … as much as I don't like the idea…I'll start to grow up and I'll start to change…like Sansa did…I mean ya sure she always had her head in the clouds but the whole…. well that…!" she said pointing to her Sister who was still following the Knights son around singing her heart out as the Knight's son in turn desperately searching for a way to escape. "Only started happening recently…but that's not the problem is it?" Arya asked her face grave.

"It's not?" Theon asked scratching his stubbed chin.

She shook her head. "It's not about liking boys or even girls or whatever….or even falling in love… Gods help me if that does ever happens…. That's not what I have an issue with!" she stated staring at the ground. "It's that I have no choice in who I might one day marry….Mother and Father will arrange for me to be given to some other noble family and I will be handed over like a breeding cow. I'll have to stay in some far of tower and expected to please my husband…to care for him…to have...his...children" she said visible shuddering at the thought. "I'll never be able to see the world or do anything. I'll while away my years as he goes off and wins battels and glory and bed whoes…" she trailed of as she started to sniff.

Jon held her close in a brotherly embrace "I promise you little wolf if any man treats you like that I would run him through, with a sword" he told her a warm grin pulling at his mouth.

"You'll have to get in line Jon!" Robb said "As the eldest I get first go at any hoe son who treated any of my family like that, which includes you too Theon." He said his words filled with confidence and good mirth "And I'm sure Father and Mother wouldn't just give you away… they would find you the right match…." Robb trailed of as both Joe and Theon glared at him.

Theon shook his head and pinched his noise "You really need to work on your way with girls Robb"

"For once I agree with Greyjoy… you've made things worse…" Jon told his elder.

"Oh shut up both of you…. it's not like either of you are worldly men." Robb said puffing up his chest. As the conversation derailed Robb, Jon and Theon failed noticed Arya slink away like a cat.

She walked through the castle grounds, a few of her friends among the serving children greeted her as she passed them but sensing her poor mood did not approach. Arya soon found herself as she often did when her mood soured or she needed time to think, in the God's Wood.

The great wood was still and quiet as it had always been and always would be, it was as if time it-self and the weight of the world had no hold here. Her teachers had told her of great storms that could cover entire lands and lay waste to whole kingdoms, but in center of these cyclones and hurricanes there was an, island of calm were all was still and peaceful, they called it the eye of the storm. They said it was like the whole World was holding its breath, it was the same here in the God's wood.

Great oak trees towered over her, weeping willows swayed softly in the light breeze, fields of wild flowers grew thick upon the ground, buttercups and hardy winter roses nodded their heads as she brushed past them. She soon reached the very heart of this place and the tree that had stood long before Bran the builder built the great Keep of Winter Fall Ten thousand years ago in the age of heroes and would stand long after she and her family were dust in the wind.

The Heart tree, its bark was as white and pure as fresh snow, its leaves the very colour of blood, its thick knotted roots spread out above and below the ground in ever direction. It was said that its roots spread for miles in every direction and some said tapped into the world bones. Its thick branches reached out to form a thick canopy. Few trees seemed willing to try and take root near even the farthest and smallest branch. Those that did seemed to almost bend out of the way. In respect of this the King of trees, 'No not king.' Arya thought to herself, the God of trees, plants and the wild places of the World.

It's aged bark was almost completely smooth, expect for the weeping face that had been carved into to steel strong wood. Red tears of the trees blood red sap ran down from the carved face as if it had been carved only yesterday, when in fact it had being carved tens of thousands of years ago.

No matter how many times she saw that ancient carving or entered the god wood it always took away her breath.

"You seemed troubled my little wolf." A deep soothing voice came from somewhere behind her.

Arya didn't need to turn to know who it was but she did anyway. Her father stood there leaning against an old willow tree which was covered in moss. "Father…" she exclaimed happily as she wrapped her small arms around his massive body that was so wide and thick with well-kept muscle she had could not all reach half way around his back.

He held his youngest daughter, silence filling the still air for a long time. His deep steel grey eyes shone with the deepest depths of parental love.

After what felt like an age she looked up to meet his unwavering gaze "This is only a dream isn't it? Arya asked him looking up into those imposing yet imposable kind eyes.

He didn't say anything he didn't need to, he didn't even need to nod his head. His wreathed face, spoke more than words or actions ever could.

Arya felt tears streaked down her face. "Why! Why did you have to die father… we could have left Kings landing at any time and you and all the others we lost would still be alive…it's not fair….you were taken from us….YOU WERE TAKEN FROM ME!" she wailed as hands beat into his firm chest.

He took every blow she rained against his chest until her arms fell away too sure to continue "It's not fair" Arya wept.

"Life seldom is but you have to be strong my little wolf, Winter is coming" her father said his voice becoming a distant echo.

She looked up at to meet his steal eyes one last time but he was gone.

XXXX

Arya stirred into wakefulness, "Winter is coming" the Stark words slipping form her lips, some ware between a whispered promise and a pray.

"So you decided to rejoin us Huum?" Gendry's clear deep voice banished the last of her dream from her mind.

Arya tried to cling to the memory of her child hood and the Gods wood and her father but they fell through the crakes in her mind like sand through her fingers. It took her a moment to realize that she was riding on Gendry's shoulders like a horse her legs either side of his chest just under his arm pits, his hands were lightly gripping her lower legs to keep her from falling off, her arms mad for a make shift pillow which her head lay upon. "Wh...What happened? Arya asked her voice heavy with sleep.

"You literally fell asleep on your feet…" he told her with a warm smirk. "I knew you were stubborn but sleep walking to the Wall was taking it a bit far don't you think?" he asked quietly as a playful smirk pulled at his mouth "So I settled you on my back and we been walking like this for most of the day." Gendry told her as he indicated the bright sun that was started to dip toward the west as it started to set.

"I'm sorry…I didn't realize…umm you can let me down now" Arya told him sheepishly

Gendry shook his head a good natured chuckle rumbling through his broad form. "It no problem you're pretty light…and you make a pretty good sun shade." He told her slyly.

She pressed her torso down over his head and dangled her face upside down in front of his. "What would I do without you?" Arya asked teasing.

He smiled shyly as her breath tickled his face "Find someone else to twist around your little finger?" Gendry answered, she smirked and pulled herself up and lightly kicked her legs into his firm chest.

"that would never happen..." she whispered

"What did you say?" Gendry asked quizzically.

"Onwards to the wall great steed… Or should I say bull?" Arya asked.

"Bull I think after all horse and wolf just doesn't have the same ring as the bull and the wolf dose it?" Gendry asked.

"Neither really roll's of the Tung" She told him smirking "But Bull and wolf…." She said mulling over the words. "Has a certain charm to it….you better not make a habit of having good ideas Gendry Waters because that my job"

He smirked "I wouldn't worry about that mi'lady" he told her but Arya had already fallen asleep, and making a pillow with her arms, she started to lightly snore. He looked off into the horizon as the sun dipped further, were menacing storm clouds were starting to form. "You better rest now because a storms coming"

Next chapter: Rain and Ruin.

AN: Please review

I originally wanted to make this a shorter chapter but it kind of got away from me. I hope you all enjoyed this. I promise the plot will start soon more than likely in the next chapter I hope your all ready.

I know this has been slow start to the story but I really wanted to explore Arya and Gendry's relationship before things are kicked into high gear and the bad stuff starts happening. Believe me nothing would make me happier then just having a road trip fan fiction were they can just have fun and slowly fall in love but sadly that wouldn't be true to the Game of Thrones Universe and even though this is an AU. I can't betray the core of the universe but I can tweak it to remove some unpleasant stuff.

Some of you may be wondering about Arya's little speech about love when both 'show' Arya and 'book' Arya have never shown much of an interest in romance.

This is just my opinion but I believe that most of her dislike of Marriage comes from the fact that more than she was going to be forced into it. Shed lose her freedom because of her duty to her family. (Though I don't think she would run away, from her family because this. More than likely whomever she was forced to marry would come to a rather sickly end)

Here's the thing though, I don't think she would be against love or falling in love but it would be on her terms.