Arya saw Jon turn and leave. He abruptly turned on his heel and stormed up to Gendry and Arya. "You will both come with me. Now!" He yelled the last word into Gendry's face and stormed off in the direction towards his rooms.
"Now! Now! Snow!" screamed the crow.
"M'lady," Gendry mumbled as he stepped back for Arya to walk in the lead. She retrieved Needle and Ghost bared his teeth at Gendry before trotting back to Jon's side. The confused recruits were led towards another section of the Castle Black, suddenly scared into relative silence.
Arya's mind dropped into her own cadence of solace. Ser Gregor, Dunsen, Raff the sweetling, Ser Ilyn, Ser Meryn, Queen Cersei. Valar morghulis. I am no one. I am no one. Jon is here. Jon is here. As if reverting back to her childhood, Arya knew that Jon would sort this out and he would send Gendry away when she asked. Gendry's heavy footsteps behind her made her furious all over again. He started to whistle and it was all she could do to flex and release Needle's handle.
The door to Jon's room slammed open ahead of Arya as she reached the top of the steps. You're going to regret this, Gendry Waters. A feeble smile crept up on her borrowed lips. This will be fun to watch. She entered the room and stood aside for Gendry to enter. "Shut the door," Jon said, while still facing away from them both. Arya swung the door shut and Ghost came to her side.
Jon turned and faced them. Arya nearly lost her face when she saw how angry and worried he was when he looked at her. When he shifted his scrutiny to Gendry, Jon took a few measured breaths before addressing him. "For acting stupidly, you will be assigned to any menial task that I can dream up. You will work from dawn to dark and learn that you will not attack another brother in black."
Gendry erupted into a deep, baritone laughter. "A brother? Are you serious? Arya, you are hiding behind your big brother now?"
"Who are you?" Jon thundered. Ghost growled and his fur stood up on end. She turned towards the door and then back with a smile on her own lips. You're in our house, on our terms now, Gendry.
"Nifty new face, Arry. Pick it up off of some poor, drunk bastard you killed?"
"The only bastard I wish I killed was you, Gendry." She stepped over to her brother's side. "Lord Commander Jon Snow, Gendry Waters. Or should I just skip the pretense and announce you as Gendry Baratheon?"
"Shut up, Arya."
"Why? You and I both know it's true." Her confidence swelled as she perched herself on the corner of Jon's desk.
"What in the seven hells are you talking about? You're Robert Baratheon's son?" Jon's perplexed face bounced back and forth from Gendry to Arya.
"Bastard," Arya corrected and then drew in a deep breath, realizing who she had said it to. "Sorry, Jon, but as you were father's son, he was King Robert's. However, the slight difference is that King Robert didn't have a clue." Arrogantly, she batted her eyelashes and smiled sweetly at Gendry who repaid her in kind with a taciturn stare.
"And how do you know each other?"
Gendry continued to glare and so Arya opted to speak. "The long story would take days. The short story, though, is a dandy. We were both being sent, ironically, to the Wall after father was murdered. He left me to stay with the Brotherhood Without Banners. I was captured by the Hound, then got on a ship to Braavos. I came back. This git was on the ship and figured out who I was and tagged along with me. Right up until the day when I left him with a whore between his knees."
"Knees!" shrieked the crow. "Snow! Snow!"
Your move, Waters. Arya cocked her head to the side and pulled a bit of dried meat from a pouch to pop into her mouth. I will be damned if I ever let you in my life again.
"So, Waters or Baratheon…"
"Waters," Gendry snapped, still looking at Arya.
Jon scratched his head in frustration. "I haven't got all day for the long version. Why did you try and kill my sister just now?"
"I would never kill her, Lord Commander. Never." He finally looked over to Jon. "I knew she was coming to you. I had been in Mole's Town for weeks, waiting for her. She has no idea that I know her, no matter her disguise. I will always know her. And for that reason, I will always protect her."
"I don't need your protection!" Arya cried. "I certainly don't need the company of a whoring man who annoys the hell out of me." She scoffed and started pacing back and forth. "What would I need protection from besides whoring men who like to leave their family?"
Gendry stood stone still until she stopped and faced him. I hate you. You betrayed me. I want you to stay but go away. "With your permission sir?" he asked Jon, who nodded in return. "With the deaths of your trueborn brothers and your sister missing, Arya, don't you realize that you hold the kingdom of the North?"
His words reverberated in her mind as she sat down in Jon's chair and put her gloved hand to her closed eyes. My gods, my gods. I am no one. I am no one. I am the queen of the North.