Sorry this is so late. DKoK should be up soon too. I'm not sure how i feel about this chapter so let me know. It may just be filler but it's something i guess. Poorly edited. Please forgive any problems.

Chapter 21

Fear was the only word he could think of to describe the mood in Winterfell, since King Stark and one of his sons had returned with several wildlings. The ladies in the castle no longer wished to walk the grounds unescorted and every man was armed. The men were on edge and staying ready by honing skills in the training yards. It was like nothing he had ever seen before.

His friend was missing. Jon was somewhere outside the walls of Winterfell. Gendry hoped Jon was alive and safe somewhere out there. From what he had heard the creatures were terrifying, which gave him doubts about Jon's safety and truly scared him for the first time in his life.

The strange blue flame flared up and pulled him from his thoughts momentarily. The strange heat danced over the melted metal as it sat waiting on him to mold. Mollen had spoken over the first batch of steel before King Stark had ridden out to the wildlings. In truth he had been expecting more than a blue flame. She had laughed at him when he said so before telling him that the only magic her steel required was the hot blue flame. The plants she had gotten for her were ground up and smeared on his tools before being baked in the flame. There was no mixture or blood just a few quiet words.

The metal was different too. It was still steel but it took longer to cool and was easy to overwork. Several of his first attempts had to be melted again before he finally man aged to put out one blade that was decent. He couldn't take the time he wanted on the blades because of the quantity that they needed.

After Mollen had disappeared, King Robert sent the Hound to hone the blades after he put a rough edge on them. It wasn't much of a change. The Hound worked quietly and left him to his work the same as Mollen had. Many people left him to his work because they feared what was coming. "I need a break." His thoughts were starting to distract him from his work. Sandor just set the blade down and left the forge without another word. Gendry walked across the yard. The gates were closed with the wildlings just inside the massive gate he had fixed. Going outside the gates was against King Stark's orders.

That was exactly what he wanted to do. Jon was a friend and could take care of himself but Arya… He feared with the rest of the castle what Arya would do. It would be very much like her to do something drastic.

Arya hadn't talked to him at all since Myrcella and she were at his forge and he couldn't exactly hunt her down within the castle. He had seen her but never where he could talk to her. Not that she would want to talk to him. Maybe it be better if she wanted nothing to do with him.

The Godswood was calling to him. The old Gods weren't his but they were Jon's. The foreign white tree towered over the clearing. The red sap weeping out of the eyes had him rethinking his decision to come here. Leaves crunched behind him. "What are you doing here?" Arya demanded.

"I was going to pray." Gendry tried to keep his voice calm but the irritation that came with talking to Arya crept in.

"They are not your Gods." Arya's voice was like ice.

"They are Jon's." Arya walked around him and climbed on top of a large rock near the water.

"He's alive; I know he is." Arya said fiercely. He wasn't as sure but he let Arya have her hope. The silence stretched between them. Gendry looked back at the tree. He wanted to apologize but couldn't find the words. "I'm going to get him." Of course she would.

He shook his head. "Arya please don't."

"I cannot just leave him out there alone."

"Please Arya." He begged. "Give Mollen a chance to find him."

"Why does she get to leave and I don't?"

"Can you start fires with a thought?" Arya glared at him. He really shouldn't have smarted off but with her he couldn't help it. "I know you can fight but what is out there does not bleed."

"Why do you care if I go?" Damn her for asking that question. It always came down to that question. His throat closed up and his words failed him. "Well?" Arya pushed.

"I don't want to see you get hurt." Gendry confessed. It was an innocent enough confession.

"That's not an answer." Why did she have to piss him off so much? "Why do I even bother?" Arya jumped down in a huff.

He grabbed her wrist. "Arya please stay. Jon is a good fighter. Let him find his way back."

"I cannot lose Jon." He heard her whisper. His other hand came to a rest on her shoulder. He wanted to say that she wouldn't, that Jon would be fine and home soon but he couldn't lie to her. Instead he pulled her to his chest and hugged her. He shouldn't but he did.

"Arya, give him time. If he's not back by the full moon I will go look for him."

"We will go look for him." Arya looked up at him from beneath his arms.

She felt so right in his arms. "We will go." Gendry promised before reluctantly letting her go. He glanced at the heart tree and said a silent prayer that Jon would make it back and soon so he didn't have to fulfill his promise to her. Arya glanced at him giving him small smile that pierced his heart before she left. Gendry waited a few quiet moments in the woods before returning to his work.

The latest blade he was working on was just finished when turned to find Arya sitting on the window sill. "Arya? What are you doing?" He glanced quickly at Clegane who was sitting out of Arya's sight.

"Mother made me leave. I was bugging her and Jon is gone…" Her words hung in the air as her feet swung freely below her.

"Jon is dead." The Hound said from his perch on his chair. Arya jumped down and lunged at the beast of a man. Gendry caught her in midair before she reached him.

"Sandor, I believe it's time for you to break your fast." Sandor smirked but stood and left. It was a good thing King Robert had ordered Sandor to obey him. Only when Sandor had completely disappeared from sight did he set Arya on the ground.

"He's not dead." She said stubbornly. "He can't be." She finished weakly.

"He has Ghost with him. Jon will be back before you know." He wasn't used to comforting distraught ladies and he had been through this already with her.

"I should be looking for him." It was like talking in circles with her.

"Mollen will find him."

"No one knows where she went if she even went after him." Arya was just arguing to argue now.

"Why don't you sharpen that blade, milady?" He pushed a finished blade that just required the razor edge he knew it would carry into her small hands. Arya glared at him before sitting down to work. Arya worked quietly even when Sandor returned. Sandor would start the edge and Arya would finish it. He was eight swords and three days in when the metal in the old mill stone was too low to make another blade. "That's it for now."

Arya looked at what was left of the dark blue burning metal. "What about that?"

"It's not enough for another blade."

"It's a shame to waste it." She was right.

"I'll think of something."

"Will the fire go out?"

"It hasn't yet." The flame had been burning for days and hadn't faltered yet. There would be no new steel unless Mollen returned. He heard the horn signaling that riders were coming towards Winterfell. Arya mumbled something and left. She wasn't allowed to be outside when they opened the gates.

He knew there weren't many men outside the walls. Gendry hoped that it was Jon returning as he grabbed his sword and hammer before hurrying to the gates. All the men were armed and ready for a fight as they waited for word up above. King Stark and King Robert arrived with the rest of the men. It was strangely quiet as the men waited for word of fight or friend. "It's the Greatjon your grace." A man from above yelled down. Lord Umber had ridden out to meet up with his son and bannermen. The wildling attacks had come earlier to the Bay of Seals. The Greatjon was furious about the wildlings crossing into his lands, but Lord Umber was the first of them to see the wights. The Greatjon had sent for his son and a force to ride to Winterfell. It seemed that King Stark was gathering his men for a full out attack.

The gates were raised and a small party rode in and dismounted. There was no mistaking Jon 'the Smalljon' Umber. The man had the look of his father. Gendry stood behind the line of Lords as the announcements were made. He hadn't noticed that Queen Stark had Lady Sansa and Arya ready to meet the incoming party. The Smalljon greeted the women like lords did, but he man's eyes lingered on Arya far too long. "Lady Arya it is truly a pleasure. The men tell great stories about you." The words the man spoke had Gendry's fists clenching and his temper rising. Arya pulled her hand away but offered a small smile.

That was all the lords and ladies he could take. He turned and left the gathering heading straight for his forge. At least there he could cease to think. Thinking wasn't good for him, if he thought too much he would thing about what had him so upset. He threw the sword he was working down and cursed. A lot of good a sword would do him. He wasn't a swordsman. The hammer was what called to him. A hammer wouldn't help him when the dead came for them. In all of history he had never heard of a Valyrian warhammer. The steel was too light to be effective. The hammer that his father had built for him lay at his feet.

There wasn't much of the molten metal left, definitely not enough to make a hammer but maybe… Gendry grabbed the herb mixture Mollen had used on his tools and smeared it all over the hammer. The poultice stunk but it protected the metal from high heat. Gendry thrust the hammer in the fire and watched as the mixture hardened around his hammer. He gently dipped the hammer in the hot Valyrian metal so it wouldn't destroy the integrity of the steel core. Gendry slowly worked the magic of old forming and shaping what would be his. Something had to be his.

Finally late into the night the warhammer glimmered in the firelight. It was a beautiful black and the new coating added very little weight to it. With nothing left to do he decided to turn in for the night. On his way back to his room he saw two silhouettes in the moonlight. One of them was tall, as tall as he was. The other was slight and lean and graceful. That silhouette he was painfully familiar with. Gendry watched the two slowly walk the grounds. His feet wouldn't move until they had long disappeared.

He snuck a few skins of wine on his way back and drank greedily once in his room. Normally he wasn't much of a drinker but tonight he was. It didn't take long for him to pass out for the night.

It was stupid to drink so much and his head told him that with every movement he made. There were a few greetings as he walked to the main hall but he could only grunt in response. There was a mass of people in the training yard in the middle of the area stood the Smalljon throwing man after man around.

Gendry watched the Northman fight. The men from the south were usually better at swordsmanship but the Northmen were better in a fight. Umber laughed loudly at the end of each fight. "Is this all the South can offer?" Umber hollered with a great laugh. Normally arrogance never bothered him but the Smalljon did.

"You haven't fought the entire south." The words that came out of his mouth were just as cocky.

"No, I have not faced a King's bastard." There were a few laughs around him. "Come on."

Gendry stepped in and grabbed the blunt sword wishing it were his hammer. It was different having someone his size across from him. He was used to better swordsmen and quicker feet but he always ha his strength. Gendry attacked first. The blades met and froze over their heads as they fought for dominance. Gendry stepped back and shoved his opponents' blade away. He rushed forward and put his shoulder in Umber's chest knocking him back. Gendry took advantage and pressed the attack once again hacking and slashing. Neither was spectacular with a sword and both relied on their strength.

The men cheered around them as they circled and crashed into each other. The Smalljon knocked his sword out of his hand but Gendry tackled his opponent sending them both to the ground. He grabbed Umber's sword and brought it to his throat. "Yield!" Umber said laughing. Gendry slowly stood and extended his hand to help Jon up. The giant man slapped him on the back laughing. "Hell of a fighter."

"I'm shit with a sword. You're lucky I didn't have hammer."

"Baratheon's and their hammers. Anyone ever tell you that you fight like someone stole your woman?" He choked back words as the men laughed around him. Maybe he was a Baratheon. Arya was worth fighting a war for.