"The Honored Guest" Chapter 21 Escape from King's Landing

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Lord Stark rushed to meet Jory and his guardsmen at the stables of the Red Keep. For the sake of secrecy, all the stableboys and grooms had been bound and gagged. Jory said, "Milord, we have saddled many of the horses and will take them with us. That way we can slow down the Redcloaks and have fresh mounts for quickly leaving this castle behind us."

Ned nodded and replied, "Smart thinking. We will place Vayon Poole, the girls, and our unarmed retainers in the center of our party when we ride out. There will be resistance at the gates, so dispatch the men necessary to take control as we arrive. If we maintain the element of surprise, mayhaps we can leave the city with little interference."

There was not a large contingent of Redcloaks at the entrance to the Red Keep, and they were quickly overcome. Those that did not resist were bound and gagged. Those that fought did not live to talk about it. The gates were opened, the Stark contingent passed through, and the rear guard hastily set up a barrier outside the gates to impede the pursuit of anyone following them.

Once outside the Red Keep, Ned turned his horse around and addressed his men. "Now we must gallop through the city, straight to the Gate of the Gods, and out to the kingsroad. We will pass through two squares - try to avoid riding over citizens. We will not be expected, so hopefully we can overwhelm the Goldcloaks at the city gates. Follow me! Now ride!"

There were a large number of guards at the Gate of the Gods, inspecting people and carts passing through. Upon seeing the armed group of riders rushing to the gates, some guards attempted to close them, but they were not completely successful by the time the Northerners arrived and engaged them with drawn swords. More Goldcloaks came out of the barracks as an alarum was raised, and Ned and his soldiers found themselves in a pitched battle. They had even numbers with the Goldcloaks, and the advantage of fighting from horseback. Unfortunately, some of the Goldcloaks had pikes, and Ned saw Fat Tom, Wyl, and Jacks impaled, pulled from their horses, and stabbed to death.

Ned was fighting fiercely, doing much damage as he swung his Valerian steel longsword, Ice, and his captain, Jory, was as effective beside him. He saw that his men were getting the better of the conflict and that the gates had been blocked open, when two huge destriers appeared, bearing Meryn Trant and Boros Blount in their white scale Kingsguard armor. Before Ned could even shout a warning, Porther, Hullen, and a few other guardsmen fell victim to their longswords and ferocity. Ned's blood froze when he saw that Blount was riding straight towards him and Trant towards Sansa and her guards.

Momentarily distracted by the arrival of the two Kingsguard knights, a Goldcloak's sword struck Ned on the left forearm, and he cried out in pain. The chainmail sleeve prevented the sword from cutting him, but the force of the blow made the arm useless and he dropped the reins of his horse. His personal guard engaged Blount, and was able to keep him at bay for a while. Ned's concern grew as he saw Ser Meryn force aside several Stark guardsmen and trade blows with Desmond, eventually knocking Sansa's sworn shield from his horse with a powerful blow. As Trant came closer to Sansa, Septa Mordane bravely moved between them, but the knight easily knocked her from her horse, also.

At that moment, Ned, while fighting off another Goldcloak, saw Robert's bastard afoot, approaching the gate, surprised by the fighting. Ned shouted desperately, "Gendry! Help my daughter!" Startled at hearing his name called, Gendry saw the knight, Trant, approaching a girl, who was desperately struggling to stay upon a frightened horse while riding sidesaddle. He quickly pulled his hammer out of his belt, aimed, and threw it with tremendous force at the knight's head. The hammer clanged off his helmet, and Trant fell heavily off his horse, unconscious. Desmond, having recovered from his own knockdown, rushed over and stabbed Trant between his gorget and breastplate with his dagger, opening Ser Meryn's throat, sending blood spurting out of his neck.

Meanwhile, Ser Boros was coming closer and closer to Ned, hacking his way through the guardsmen. Lord Stark's injured arm ached and he felt exhausted, but he raised his sword, preparing to counter Blount. He had no confidence that he could defeat the heavily armored knight. Suddenly another longsword appeared, and reverberated loudly against Ser Boros's sword with such force that the knight was almost unseated. Ned whirled around and saw that the blow had been delivered by Ser Barristan Selmy, the disrespected and dismissed former commander of the Kingsguard. Selmy delivered another powerful blow while Blount was reeling on his mount, and he fell off his horse. Ser Barristan was on top of him in a second, and hissed, "You are a disgrace to the Kingsguard of old," as he slid his sword under the breastplate and through Ser Boros' ribs to puncture his heart.

Ned breathed a sigh of relief, and told him, "Ser Barristan, you have saved my life, and I will never be able to repay such a significant debt."

Selmy looked over at Ser Meryn's lifeblood leaving his body, and Ser Boros below him bleeding out, and contemptuously spat, "These men were creatures of that evil queen, and did not deserve to live, let alone wear the honorable armor of the Kingsguard." He looked sharply at Ned. "Lord Stark, I know that you are going to the Targaryen camp. May I accompany you? I will work for these accursed Lannisters no more! I attended King Aerys Targaryen and I intend to offer my services to his grandson."

The Warden of the North replied, "I would consider it an honor to travel with the noblest knight of Westeros. Of course you may accompany us! Why don't you appropriate Ser Boros' abandoned destrier?" Now he surveyed the area and saw that his guardsmen had won the day, were binding the living vanquished, and moving the Stark party through the gates. Jory approached and told him that they had lost three and twenty men, most notably, Hullen, master of horse, but Septa Mordane had survived being pitched to the earth. Gendry had recovered his hammer and was staring at the man that he helped send to the seven hells. "Gendry, I am beholden to you for saving my daughter's life, but now you need to make haste to get astride a horse and prepare to depart."

Gendry replied, "Milord, I have never ridden a horse and have no idea what to do."

Ned told him, "Well, if you don't ride now, you will surely die here. Here, climb up on Sansa's horse, and she will show you how to control the reins." He fashioned a crude sling for his injured arm, and turned to the rest of the party, "Jory! Have the rear guard block the gates!" He thrust his bloody greatsword high into the air and shouted, "Starks! Follow me! Winterfell!" as he galloped north on the kingsroad.

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Gendry awkwardly climbed onto Sansa's horse and they rode away. Gendry had to sit behind the girl and place his arms around her to hold the reins and to keep her seated sidesaddle. Sansa placed her hands lightly on top of his to guide him at first, but as he became more accustomed to what was expected, she removed them. Once they were safe and the immediate danger was gone, Sansa took a good look at her rescuer. Her father had called him 'Gendry'. The man was huge and strong and had a handsome face. They were pressed close together on the horse, and she felt warm and comforted by his muscular arms as they all but embraced her. Sansa looked up at him and demurely said, "Thank you, Ser Gendry, I owe you my life."

Gendry stared at her, thinking; She is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen! He replied, "I am no knight, but a simple blacksmith's apprentice."

Sansa saw that his bright blue eyes were fixed on her, and she realized that he was but a large lad, not yet a man. He really is handsome, she thought, but he looks a little too much like King Robert. "Well, knight or smith, you are very brave and gallant, and I am grateful that you came to my aid." She squeezed his large, calloused hand with her small, soft, and delicate one, and favored him with a bright smile. "By the way, my name is Lady Sansa Stark, and that is Lord Stark, my father, who is also grateful to you."

Gendry thought, This is a beautiful, noble lady, smiling at me. I could die happily right now! "Milady, I met your father not long ago. I suppose I owe him thanks for rescuing me from King's Landing, for I was told that my life was in danger, though I know not why."

Sansa continued to study the youth. He had nice shoulder-length, glossy black hair and although he was clean-shaven, his chin was dark. He can grow an impressive beard, just like a Northerner, if he wanted to, she thought. But then she realized, as she imagined Gendry with a full beard, But then he would look exactly like King Robert! She frowned a bit, I wonder what that means? Impulsively, she asked, "Gendry, do you like to drink wine?"

Gendry was startled by the question, but he was entranced by the lovely lady in his lap, and answered truthfully, "No, milady, my mother worked in a tavern, and drunks disgust me. I do not touch wine."

Sansa's open face expressed approval, and Gendry was pleased. Sansa realized that not only was Gendry handsome, he was very masculine. She reflected on Prince Joffrey. When he wasn't scowling or thinking evil thoughts, he was very handsome, but he definitely was not masculine. Feeling Gendry's large, protective frame enveloping her, she thought, Hmm, I think I like this! and she almost pressed herself more closely against his chest, but she had been well instructed, and modesty prevailed.

Ned glanced over and chuckled at the sight. There's my dreamy daughter, imaging that she is traveling with a great knight, like in a song or poem. Arya is my realist daughter. I love them both, but they are certainly more trouble than my lads. I wonder what Arya is up to right now?

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Next: The refugees are welcomed at Harrenhal. Sansa meets Aegon. What do you think will happen?