GENDRY

He had been hammering anvil, the entire day. His body was covered in sweat, his muscles aching in agony, but he didn't care. He needed the distraction.

Jeyne had left two nights before, to collect food and supplies from a nearby village. Gendry wanted to come with her, but she refused. "Someone has to look after the children" she said. Gendry sighed knowing it was true, he had to stay behind. But it wouldn't be a week until she returned and he longed for her. Not in his heart, he had already explained that to Jeyne the night after he bedded her. He couldn't love anyone, but he longed for her in his loins. He was a man grown and he had needs. Needs Jeyne was more than happy to fill. Gendry had not had the touch of a woman for a long time and after remembering the pleasure he had with Jeyne, not even his hand could satisfy his desires anymore. So he kept himself busy in the forge; all he did for the past three days was: work, piss, sleep and eat.

Gendry put the hammer down and went inside the inn, it would be dinner time soon and Gendry was starving. He saw Willow standing at the front desk, he started to smile but froze when he saw what was in her hand. "Where did you get that?" Gendry demanded, gesturing to the silver in her hand.

"We had a guest check in, a few hours passed." She responded with a smile.

Gendry still felt uneasy with guests, he knew this was an inn and they needed coin but the idea of strange men living with them made Gendry shiver. "Don't you remember what happened last time we had guests?" Gendry snapped. There were two knights that came into the inn, after drinking all their wine they began to flirt with Willow, asking her how much coin it would cost for her maidenhead. Gendry became infuriated and threw them out. Luckily they had been drunk, so it hadn't been a challenge, but had they had been sober, Gendry's head might have been sitting on a spike somewhere in this inn.

"Relax Gendry, she's just a woman and she's alone. She's my age and size to and if she does try anything improper I'm sure you can handle her, with both hand tied behind your back." Willow responded.

"And where is our so called guest right now?" he demanded.

"She's had an injury, Master Alvin was attending to her wounds. If he is finished with her, then she is with Beatrice and Ruth, they are preparing her bath."

Gendry nodded. He remembered when Master Alvin first came to the inn. He was travelling, looking for a Lord who would require his services. There had been a fever going on at that time, several of the children were affected. Jeyne begged Master Alvin to tend to them, she offered him a complimentary welcome, with free food and wine, as long and as much as he wanted. The Master agreed and soon the fever had passed. Even the children who looked like they were sure to pass, soon recovered. The Master stayed with them ever since. "Food and shelter, is all that I truly need" he had said, "I cannot leave you kids without a Master, I shall stay as long as you shall have me." Gendry truly believed, Master Alvin had been the most incredible man he met. Not many people would give up the wealth of being a Lord's Master to take care of children. There was nothing but kindness in the Master's heart.

Gendry saw a boy coming inside the inn; he must have been five and ten, he had dark skin, curly hair and was covered in dirt. Mycah. He said to himself, remembering the boy's name.

"I watered and fed her horse, he's in the stables right now. Anything else you need Willow?" Mycah asked.

"Yes." Willow responded, gesturing to a large bag at her feet, "that belongs to our guest, bring it to her room for me. Last door on your right."

Mycah smiled, "perhaps if I'm lucky, she'll have just finished her bath."

He went to go reach for the bag but Gendry picked it up before he had a chance. "If we want more silver, we want our guests to stay longer and to do that we ought to not scare them away." He retorted swinging the bag over his shoulder and heading to the girl's room. He must have been more tired than he thought, the bag was really heavy. There was no way a girl would be to carry this on her own.

He knocked the door, of the girl's room. No one answered so he opened the door. He made for her bed, tossing her bag on top of it. It hit the mattress with a clang. Gendry recognized that sound anywhere, did the girl carry armour in her bag? Gendry shook his head, even if she had it was no concern to him. If she tried to stir up trouble, he would see to her. She was just a girl after all and if she was Willow's size, she would not be a threat. As Gendry made for the door he saw a tunic and breeches discarded on the floor. They had been soiled with blood. If she had been a woman, she certainly did not dress as one. Gendry only knew two woman, that preferred breeches over gowns.

The first had been Arya; he thought at first, the reason why she dressed the way she did was because she was trying to lead everyone into thinking she was a boy, in an attempt to hide her true identity. However, after everyone found out she was a girl, he still found her choosing her breeches over a dress. He remembered the day at The Peach, when Lady Smallwood had forced her to wear the acorn dress. Arya looked different in a gown, when he saw the rage in her face he burst out laughing. They had bathed her and dressed her up and Arya hated every minute of it. Any other lady would have loved to be pampered, but not Arya. She was different.

The second woman he thought of had been Brienne of Tath. At first he thought she was a man, but after she spoke he realised he was a she. She was a lady, yet she had become a knight, wore armour and seemed to be leading the two men with her. Arya would have loved her, he thought. She was everything she inspired to be.

When Gendry looked closer at the clothes he noticed something sticking out of it. He picked up the clothes on the floor and gasped. What he saw made his insides twitch, there was no mistaking the sword, concealed by the girl's clothes.

Needle.

A blinding rage fuelled inside Gendry. This was Arya's sword, it should be laid to rest with her body or with her family, not wielded by someone stupid thief.

He immediately picked up the sword and headed back to the bed. He opened the bag and in one swift movement, turned it over spilling the contents, outside. There had been swords, daggers, a couple stale slices of bread and...

His helm. The bull helm, that was taken from him the day he got captured. This was no innocent girl, Gendry thought to himself. This was an enemy. Someone from Harrenhal most likely. Parading around with his helm and Arya's sword. They weren't just possessions, Gendry worked hard on his helm, it was the first thing he took pride in. If only his mother could see it, he thought to himself. The helm had become a part of him, the bull they called him. But needle... needle had been given to Arya by her natural-brother Jon Snow, that sword meant more than some accomplishment or some sort of protection. It was the only memory she had of her family. The only thing she had that reminded her she was a Stark and now some girl stole it using it as her own sword.

He clenched his fists and heard the door knob twist open. He did not hesitate. He grabbed one of the swords on the bed. Not needle, he couldn't bear to look at, yet even touch needle for much longer. He grabbed one of the bigger swords and headed towards the door.

When the door opened, he saw no one on the other side. He went outside the room, clutching the sword in his hand when all of a sudden he felt a sharp pain in his hand, causing him to drop the sword. Had she just kicked him? He didn't have time to think, his attacker pounced on his back, wrapping her arms around his neck. Gendry couldn't breath. He tried clawing at his attackers hands, but they were glued shut. He was running out of air, his lungs were burning worse with every passing second. He needed to do something and he needed to do it fast.