GENDRY
He liked Winterfell. He spent his days working in the forge with the new Master at arms, Damon Archer. Lord Bran, was impressed with his work and paid Gendry well. He also gave him a chamber in the castle because, he was a friend of Arya's.
He enjoyed his time here; he would work in the forge all day, he was served great food and at nights Arya would seek out his chamber.
He could tell Winterfell had once been a beautiful place; if you looked beyond the rumble. Small trees and other plants were growing in the forest and the ponds and rivers were a magnificent site. It was so different from the South, no matter your status everyone was treated with respect. They seemed to be family, something that Gendry has never known.
The only thing that he disliked about Winterfell were the crypts. Just the mention of them would send a shiver down his spine. He went down there once with Arya; she showed him her father, mother, brother and the rest of her family. She asked him to go with her again, but Gendry refused; so she never brought up the subject again.
Damon and Gendry worked all day with almost no breaks; except a quick snack and to make water. If a war was coming, they needed weapons. Damon told Gendry the stories he heard about Ramsay Bolton. Each story was more cruel then the last. His temper rose, this was the man who claimed Arya to be his wife? If a war was coming he would join the battle and Gendry vowed that he would be the one to kill Ramsay Bolton.
In two moons times they got their answer. As the Starks and Tullys predicted, Ramsay heard about Arya's return to Winterfell and demanded her return. If they refused to deliver her, he vowed he would come get her himself and burn Winterfell to the ground once more.
Arya, Lord Bran, the Blackfish and Edmure Tully had a meeting in the Great Hall, moments after they received Ramsay's letter. Gendry was not invited. He paced anxiously in his room that night waiting for Arya. What in seven hells was taking them so long?
When Arya finally arrived, she did not say anything. She just wiggled out of her gown and kissed Gendry.
In that moment Gendry's anger and anxiety disappeared. All he wanted was Arya, with a passion that was almost unhealthy.
He threw her onto the bed and removed his clothes within seconds. Arya pulled him down on top her and slid her tongue into his mouth. Without breaking away from the kiss, Gendry removed Arya's small clothes and thrust himself inside her. She bit into his shoulder to muffle the screams that escaped her lips, Gendry felt the sharp pain from her bite, but he didn't care. He just moved himself deeper inside of her.
After they were done, Arya rested her head on his chest and he wrapped his arms around her waist. "We are leaving for Kings Landing on the morrow." She announced.
"Why Kings Landing?" He asked, "shouldn't we be marching for Dreadfort?"
Arya shook her head, "I will not have a war started because of me. No man should lay down his life for something so stupid, ours nor theirs."
"It's not stupid, that bloody bastard is a monster. I've heard the stories Arya, I will not allow him to be your husband."
"Before I was born my Aunt Lyanna was kidnapped by Prince Rhaegar. It started a war, many were slain including my uncle and grandfather. My aunt perished as well, I will not have history repeat itself."
"Then what do you propose we do? There is no way that I will allow that monster to lay his hands on you." Gendry declared.
"That is why we are going to King's Landing, we are taking this to trial."
"And if we lose?"
"I won't marry Bolton, I have a plan Gendry, you just have to trust me." There was something in her eyes that he could not read. It was the same look she gave him before the 'weasel soup' incident and it was the same look she gave him the day she told him about her plans to leave Harrenhal. There was something dangerous she was planning in her mind, but Arya's plans always seemed to fall through. He wrapped her in his arms and decided to trust her although he feared consequences.
They rode for King's Landing the eve, of the morrow. There were nearly a hundred knights that travelled with them, all donned in the armour that Damon and he forged. Arya exchanged her gowns for a tunic and breeches and donned a fur jacket over her clothes.
Nymeria and Summer – Lord Bran's direwolf – also joined. They would move on their own pace, sometimes they would run off and hunt together but they'd always manage to find the group again before nightfall.
It took them one moon to reach King's Landing. They were greeted by Queen Danereys herself. "I welcome all of you into my home" she announced, "for you are all my children, please come and share my meat and mead. I have found accommodations for all your travellers.
Lord Bran thanked the Queen and they all made their Journey into the castle.
They found out, the Boltons arrived a few days earlier then they did. The trial was marked for the morrow.
Gendry dressed well for the trial. He had taken a bath and shaved the stubble off his face. He donned on the most expensive pair of clothing he owned. Everyone else seemed to think the same way, they all the dressed to impress.
He saw Ramsay Bolton and it took all he could, to not walk up to the Lord and punch him in the face. He was much older than Arya and was as ugly as he was cruel.
He shifted his attention to Queen Daenerys, she was a beautiful woman. She had long silver hair and bright purple eyes. A gold crown rested on top of her head and she wore a long blue gown that revealed her left breast. Gendry blushed.
When he saw Arya walking in, his mouth dropped. Her hair was tied neatly in a braid, but that was the only neat thing about her. She donned on a pair of dirty breeches and a tunic. She wore chainmail and her needle was strapped into her belt loop.
Ramsay frowned at Arya, it seemed that he was disappointed. The rage in Gendry built, was he really judging her? A fat woman with all her teeth missing would be too good for Ramsay Bolton and he was sceptical of a woman as beautiful as Arya?
Gendry took a deep breath; it would not help Arya's case if her blacksmith punched the man who claimed to be her husband.
"I, Queen Daenerys of house Targaryen welcome you all to my home. Today we meet on an unpleasant day, facing a trial of Bolton versus Stark. I will allow each of you to say your peace and bring forth any witness you may have. As Queen I shall pick..."
"I demand a trial by battle." Arya interrupted.
Everyone in the hall gasped. Even her brother seemed to be shocked. Gendry felt his heart stop for a moment. This was Arya's plan? A trial by battle? What in seven hells was she thinking?
"As a right, you can choose a trial by battle. Lord Ramsay do you have a champion?" Dany asked.
Gendry could tell Ramsay was already prepared if this was to happen, as if he wanted this to happen, "I do, your grace. I announce my old friend, Ser Meryn as my champion."
He was a big man and he looked brutal. Gendry did not know much about the realms but he did know Ser Meryn was a former member of the Kings Guard before Queen Daenerys took over. He turned to look at Arya, she had a smirk on her face. She was smiling? The girl was truly mad, who in seven hells did she have that could beat Ser Meryn.
"And Lady Arya, would be so kind to name your champion." Gendry did not hesitate, if Arya wanted him to fight, he was prepared to die for her. He and a number of another Northmen including Lord Edmure Tully and the Blackfish also stepped forward, offering themselves as her champions. Arya did not turn to look at any of the men that offered themselves to her. She already had a champion in mind, she had already had something planned, like she told Gendry the night they received Ramsay's letter.
"I declare myself, as champion" she announced. Everyone gasped again and began whispering. Gendry felt his heart sank. Her words rang through his head, I won't marry Bolton, I have a plan Gendry and you just have to trust me. She was right; both circumstances would remove her from her marriage with Bolton. If she won she proved to the seven realms that she was not Bolton's wife and if she lost... a dead girl cannot marry a man. Gendry felt his world shatter around him, but Arya kept her head up high, ready to fight for her own life.