DISCLAIMER: Must I do this every time? Rights to GRRM and HBO
Waay-o readers, whats up? I know, I know, you all hate me! I'm a slow updater, but I made the last chapter double the length they normally are, so I hope it was a decent apology. As always, lots of big thank yous to my reviewers- they make me so happy! Anyway, I'm thinking of upping the pace of the story a little bit, because I worry that I write a lot, without actually saying very much- their journey was only supposed to be a few chapters and instead its been about 15... sorry! Idk, I just get so many ideas and I want to cram them all in, which I know is silly. But oh well. Tbh there are quite a lot of things I would go back and re do if I could... but again, oh well. Anyway, a few people have asked for a little recap of everything that has happened, so here it is:
After the war, Jon finds Arya beyond the Wall and brings her home. All seems chill, and then suddenly Jon has made a betrothal between her and a man she doesn't know. Arya gets a wee bit frustrated *cough* tries to stab Jon *cough* and legs it, but she is caught. She finds out that the secret lord is actually a legitimatized Gendry Baratheon, but she's still pretty pissed at Jon for the whole malarkey. She begins her travel South with the Baratheon company, and Gendry tells her that Jon only did it for her own safety, as her once upon a time betrothed, Elmar Frey, is trying to get her back. Somewhat unbeknownst to Jon and Gendry, Euron Greyjoy is after her as well, and is using Elmar Frey as a way to rebel against the new Targaryen rule. Arya and Gendry make a wager that if Gendry can get Arya to say that she loves him within the year, she'll marry him, and if not, he'll allow the betrothal to be broken and will help her to become a Kings Guard to Jon. They become closer, initially as friends, and then something old begins to spark again. Arya agrees to teach Jayce- Gendry's squire- to fight. Arya is confused about her feelings towards Gendry after a kiss shared in a heated moment. Still in denial, Arya runs off alone to the Twins, where they had been camping near by, and gets attacked. Gendry comes and saves her at the last moment, having woken up alone. The attackers were cheap sell swords, sent by an unknown person. Arya and Gendry have a bit of a fight, in which Arya ends up breaking her wrist. They come to the Crossroads inn, where Gendry reunites with the Heddle sisters. The two share another kiss in the forge, and make up... until Gendry pulls a sneaky on her after challenging her to a fight after seeing her train Jayce in the Braavosi style. Arya deliberately holds back to spare his reputation in front of his men, and beats him, and then he pulls a trick when she is distracted, and wins the fight, as well as the wager they had made before hand. He then kisses her in front of his men, which angers her, and she runs off to the woods. In the woods Arya hears two men talking about meeting a group, but decides not to tell Gendry. Gendry finds her and they go back to the inn and talk about their pasts a little, which leads to Arya learning of how it was Gendry's blood that Melisandre used to kill Robb. Arya is confused about what she thinks, knowing it isn't Gendry's fault, but wishing he hadn't fallen for the red woman's trick. She understands that Blood Magic is incredibly powerful, and very dangerous, having seen it in her past when she travelled to Asshai, but doesn't want to believe Robb died as a result of it. She goes to bed alone, confused about her feelings towards Gendry.
So, there you have it! Hope that was a chill explanation, if not please feel free to message me or review or whatever, and I will do my best to answer any questions! Hope you all enjoy the next chapter, Over and Out xoxo
Arya swung up neatly onto Astrid's back, while the mare shook her mane and snorted. Fresh from four days of no exercise, the mare made to rush forwards, champing at the bit, but Arya snatched up the reins and pulled her back. The day was particularly warm, and already the back of Arya's blue shirt felt slightly sticky. As she waited for the others to make ready to leave, Arya tucked the side of the shirt into her brown breeches with her thumb. A pair of hounds lolloped past her, tongues lolling and tails wagging, and Astrid chucked her head.
The yard was a tangle of horses and people, squires waiting for their lords, horses stamping their hooves with impatience, men making sure they had everything. The yard rang with squabble and shouts, and loud laughter, but all quieted when Gendry roared for quiet. Arya felt his gaze sweep over her, and busied herself with checking her girth.
"Men!" He shouted, trotting forward a couple of paces and pulling Rogue about when the stallion had other ideas. "Kings Landing awaits, and then home!" The men cheered and laughed, and when Gendry trotted out of the yard they followed, banners fluttering in the breeze. The rest of the host was already camped across the Trident at Darry, where Gendry had called in each day, politely declining their offer to stay a while. Arya was relieved; it was time to get on the move. Besides, staying in another castle would mean close quarters with Gendry, and she wasn't sure what to say to him.
She had spent the last two days avoiding the tall man, rising early and taking Jayce out to the woods to practice, exploring the area, making certain to stay away from the forge, where he seemed to spend a great deal of time, the sounds of hammer on steel singing across the yard throughout the day. When he left to visit the company at Darry, she stayed behind, and when he came back she left herself, visiting the Brotherhood.
Anguy had asked straight away what was going on, but Arya had simply said nothing. "Aye," the archer had replied, "and that's why the man has been in a foul mood all day." Arya had made no reply, apart from to ask if he wanted to hunt or not. While her frustrations were not conductive towards Gendry, they seemed productive on the hunt, for they ate well that night with rabbits to spare for salting.
She watched him from behind as he lead the group of minor lords and his own household from the inn, sat atop his magnificent black stallion. For a boy who had been born in Flea Bottom, he sure looked like a proper lord, she thought idly, his black leather jerkin straining across his muscles, and his war horse dancing beneath him. For all that she had avoided him, it seemed that he avoided her.
The smaller group made good time, crossing the Trident with time to spare, the water as calm and still as the weather, and they were soon with the rest of the company, who were ready to go when they arrived. Not wishing to stop for longer than necessary, Gendry pushed for the company to make good pace, having conveyed his gratitude to the Darry inhabitants the night before. The weather had left the ground good going, and when they came to a stop Arya almost wished they could just keep going, restless from the days spent at the inn.
She dismounted and handed Astrid reluctantly to a squire, a boy she recognised as one of Jayce's friends, before heading off, her sleeping skins and furs slung over her shoulder in leather straps. As was her custom, she walked through camp, stopping only to take a skin of water from a wagon, finding the edge of camp. She carried on a small ways, to a clump of trees up a small hill, overlooking camp, feeling more comfortable under their shelter than out in the open ground. She forced herself to think only of her tasks, rolling out her skins and setting out her furs, collecting firewood and placing it in a lattice before flinting it. She sat on the edge of her furs and poked the fire, watching as it grew within the little pit she had dug.
Refusing to think about... whatever was happening with Gendry, Arya set up a small shelter; she had only done it a couple of times, but she had enjoyed watching the charcoal burn. She remembered her father teaching Robb and Jon and Theon once, and though she hadn't been allowed to join in, she had watched carefully. The one her father had made had been huge, making enough charcoal to last for months, but she had done it before on smaller ones.
Methodically, Arya used a rock the size of a plate to dig a large pit in the mud, about two foot by two foot, about six inches deep. In the middle she dug another hole, much deeper but smaller. Then, by the fire light, Arya collected dry wood, armfuls of it, until there was a pile beside her ditch that seemed enough. She rolled up her sleeves and got to work, choosing the biggest log and placing it upright in the hole, so that it stood erect. Around it she placed the next largest few logs, and then the next and then the next, until a sort of pyramid formed, with the smaller pieces of wood on the outside and the larger ones inside.
Despite the evening air, Arya kept warm, collecting armfuls of dried leaves, all of them dead and brown and crunchy. She laid them neatly over the wood, until almost none of it could be seen, save for a large mound of leaves. The next part was the trickiest; she would need mud, and a lot of it. Luckily the Trident had plenty of smaller branches, and Arya found one a few minutes walk away, a pond that was fed from an underground spring. The mud here was black in colour, and cold, but Arya pushed back her sleeves and got to work.
It would be impossible, she decided, to carry the mud back in her hands, so she walked back to her skin and took the thinner under skin, already dirty. She set it down by the pond and covered it with leaves, before she scooped up as much mud as she could. It smelt funny, and it clung to her skin, drying from her body heat. It stuck to her arm hairs, but she ignored it, and took a corner of the skin in each hand, before pulling it back to her mound of wood and leaves, heavier than she had thought originally.
Arya was kneeling by the pyramid of wood, slapping on the mud with her hands, when she thought she sensed something nearby. She stopped her movements and listened intently, but she couldn't hear anything. Still, her skin prickled, and she felt a sudden pang of hunger, as if she hadn't eaten in days, before it ebbed away. Arya shook her head; she would have to wait until the charcoal was finished before she went back to camp to eat. The pit needed constant surveillance, or it would leave the charcoal half finished and of no use.
As she used her fingers to smooth over a crack in the mud there was a sound behind her, and Arya paused again, cocking her head; she was sure she had heard something again that time. She twisted around from her one knee crouch, and saw Gendry stood behind her, watching her skeptically, as if he was considering her going mad. She swallowed and turned around, scooping up another handful of mud and slapping it on the mound.
"I know I said you could have your freedom, but I would still prefer that you didn't just leave without telling anyone," he said from behind, as he walked a little closer to her. Arya slapped on some more mud. "What are you even doing?" He asked, the skepticism evident in his voice.
"Burning charcoal," she replied, using her elbow to rub her nose, her hands too caked in mud. She heard him pause and then walk up to her and crouch down. Shew turned to look at him, a half smile on her lips, to see him watching her intensely. She bit the inside of her cheek and turned back to look at what she was doing, but Gendry's hand rose and caught her face. She raised a brow at him questioningly.
"You have a bit of mud," he said lowly, his thumb brushing her cheekbone lightly. "Just there." She watched him quietly as he wiped the mud from her cheek with his thumb. Once he had done, his hand lingered there before falling away. She chewed her lip and went back to smearing mud on the mound.
"You know that we have a proper coal oven at Storms End, don't you?" He asked.
Arya shrugged. "My father used to do it every autumn," she said, before pausing. "Do the other side?" She asked, looking at him. A small smile pulled at the corners of his lips, and he nodded, moving to the side and rolling up his sleeves. The stayed silent for a few moments, slapping mud onto the mound. Arya patted down her side firmly, and used her fingers to smear the mud, concealing all and any cracks. Cracks were bad; they let out the heat and combustion couldn't take place properly. Kind of like her, she thought.
As she did so, Arya's eyes drifted to Gendry, his lips slightly parted as he smoothed the mud over with his hands. Arya watched him quietly, taking in the way his shoulders rippled with each movement, the tendons in his neck straining as his head bent down. He seemed to sense her watching him, and his eyes flickered up briefly. He sent her a small smile and then refocused on his work. Arya shook her head slightly and stood up to put some more wood on the fire.
She looked over at him again, as he worked, and then back to the fire. "I'm not mad at you, you know," she said smoothly, not looking up. She felt his gaze flicker up at her. "About Robb and the Red Woman. I don't blame you." She added another log to the fire, not looking up as he walked over to her. She reached to tweak a log, but his hand caught her wrist, stilling her movement.
He pulled her up gently, and she looked up at him. His face was wracked with guilt, and she narrowed her eyes. "You listen to me, you bull," she said firmly, staring in his eyes as if daring him to challenge her. "Now, I don't know what God is real, or if there are even any gods up there at all, but even if the Red God is the true God, and what Melisandre did was real- it was her that killed my brother, not you." She took his face in her hands, and looked into his eyes, beautifully blue and full of pain.
Gendry made to pull his face away, sighing as if to argue, but Arya gripped more tightly and turned him back to look at her. "No. I won't hear it. Alright?"
Gendry stepped closer to her and took her shoulders in his hands. Arya had to step back to see his face properly. "You aren't mad?" He asked cautiously.
Arya pursed her lips. "Well actually, yes, I am," she said, and watched his face crease in guilt. "But not at you. If I had known what they did... I'm just mad that it wasn't me that killed Stannis." She let her hands slide down and onto his chest, gripping the sides of his leather jerkin. "Do you understand me, Gendry?" She asked. "I do not blame you. It isn't your fault!"
And with that she pulled him down by his lapels, and pressed a kiss to his lips. He seemed surprised at first, before his hands slid up and he placed them gently on her cheeks, letting his lips melt into hers.
The sky was a pale grey, and snow fell lightly, melting in his hair and cloak, and landing as soft as a sigh on his face. The deck rocked beneath his feet, swaying in the black water below, the surface lapping against the wood. One of the crew raised a shout, and Jon heard the creak of the bow turning. He leaned more heavily against the side, his hands splayed in front of him, and he watched a tiny white snow flake settle on his knuckle and melt there, the droplet running down the slope of his hand and settling at his wrist.
"Jon?"
Jon turned around at the sound of his sister's voice as she stepped up to stand beside him, placing her hand beside his. "You'll freeze out here," he said, glancing at her dress, black with a fancy metal belt. He turned back to watch as White Harbour grew smaller in the distance, wondering when he would next see it again.
Sansa shot him a disdainful glance. "No more than you will," she replied, "I'm just as much a Northerner as you." Jon smiled at her reply; for the perfect lady she was, his sister had become a confident woman, as proud of her heritage as anyone else. Her hand moved to his, and he could feel her looking at him, though he kept his focus on the rocking waves.
"Jon, something has been bothering you for weeks now, and you haven't said a word," She said softly. "Is something wrong?" Jon swallowed and leaned more heavily against the side.
What was he supposed to say? That he had received a letter weeks ago about a group of men that wanted to cause their sister harm, and he hadn't said a word until now? The thought made him wince. The last time he had hidden something from her, Sansa had been furious. He sighed, and lowered his brow, frowning.
"Three weeks ago, I received a letter from Lord Baratheon," he said heavily. The words had immediate effect; Sansa's hand tightened around his, and he felt rather than saw her turn to look at him more fully, waiting for further explanation. He rubbed his jaw, as he thought about what to say.
"She's fine," he said, though she only relaxed a little. "But Elmar Frey was spotted at Cape Kraken. Baratheon scouts saw him row out to meet Euron Greyjoy."
Sansa arched an elegant eyebrow. "But we already knew that, didn't we?" She said skeptically.
Jon nodded once. "A week following that raven we received another, though I neglected to read it for a few days." He waited for her reprimand, but it never came so he carried on. "It was from Gendry again. He hadn't planned on mentioning to it Arya, and he wasn't clear about how he found out, but it seems that Arya and Euron have a history."
"What do you mean?" Sansa asked sharply, her voice as biting as the wind that rocked the side of the ship in violent gusts. Jon thought she had inherited that from her lady mother.
"You may not remember, but during the war Euron used to capture and sell slaves in Essos," he said grimly. "He didn't go into details, but it turns out that Arya was one of them. Gendry worries that Euron may have found out since who she was, and that might tie in to his meeting with Elmar Frey. Like some sort of revenge." Jon moved to lean forward onto his forearms, his hands clasped together in the cold air, and turned his face to watch his sister's reaction.
Sansa stood as still as stone, her face carved out of ice, and for a moment Jon thought he could see a similarity between her and Arya in the expression. "And you only tell me this now?" She asked cooley.
Jon glanced down and back up. "I know, and I'm sorry," he said, "but you were so busy with this whole journey, all the organising- I didn't want to worry you further." He regarded her carefully, but her face gave little away as she turned back to watch White Harbour become a grey horizon, one hand braced gently against the side.
"What do you think?" Sansa asked, keeping her voice flat.
Jon hesitated, his head aching. "I don't know," he admitted, "but Gendry's right; it all seems too neat to be a coincidence. Whether Elmar is aware of Arya and Euron's history I don't know, but if this is true then Euron must have some sort of plan. Why else would he agree to meet him?" The question had been plaguing Jon for months now, and he still couldn't understand or think of an explanation that wasn't worrisome. The sooner he got to Kings Landing the better; there were people there that may have a better idea.
Sansa considered his reply for a moment. "You know the more worrying question though, don't you?" She asked flatly.
Jon nodded. "What will Arya do if she finds out?"
Jon just hoped she didn't; his sister was rational, smart, calculating- but she was reckless and driven by revenge, though he supposed she might call it justice. He didn't know much but she just exuded some sort of aura and, unless her guard was down- which it rarely was- her very presence screamed danger. Jon suspected that Arya may have more secrets than he had originally thought, and he didn't know if he wanted to learn them or not.
"Then you know what must be done?" Sansa said, and again, Jon nodded.
"We must send a raven to Gendry" he said sagely, "and hope she doesn't already know too much."
Smoke rose up from the top of the mound, from the opening at the top, and Arya could see a little flicker as the tip of an orange flame flickered there. She sat on the edge of her furs next the fire, as Gendry made his way back from the pond, having washed off all of the mud. They had taken it in turns to wash, so that there was always someone to watch the charcoal. He sat down beside her on his furs, and rubbed the cold from his hands.
"How long do you think it will be before we reach the Storm Lands?" She asked with a yawn, not sure whether she hoped it would be soon or not.
Gendry considered for a moment. "At this rate I would guess in about a month, maybe more," he sighed, "but I'm hoping to drop a few of the minor lords and ladies off on the road to Kings Landing, so we might be there sooner."
"Who are they all?" Arya asked, wondering why he had ever brought them along in the first place.
Gendry yawned this time. "Minor houses from the Stormlands; House Fell, House Buckler- all families sworn to Storms End." He turned his face, glowing orange in the light of the fire, and Arya felt her stomach leap as it reminded her of how he had looked the night they had first kissed. "Why do you want to know when we'll get there?" He asked skeptically. "Already planning an escape are you?" He didn't give her a chance to reply. "Remember- you promised me a year."
Arya rolled her eyes. "No, I was simply curious. I never did know- who was holding Storms End before you?" She had been wondering about it for a while now; who would just give over a castle?
Gendry hummed for a moment. "A couple of years ago Aegon Targaryen took Storms End with the Golden Company," he said slowly as he tried to sort it out in his mind. "But when the true war began he left to fight with all of his men, and the lands became overrun with bandits and outlaws. They must have heard I was coming though, and left," he explained, "which is my next thing to do."
"What, to find them?" Arya asked, wondering how exactly he planned to do that. He had the men, but if he was busy with running Storms End then how would he have time to hunt them down? Perhaps he would send someone after them, as her father had sent Beric Dondarrion after the Mountain all those years ago.
Gendry must have caught the doubt in her voice and smiled slightly. "I'll leave Storms End in good hands, someone I can trust. Someone I know can run the place. Then I'll take my men and track them."
Arya crumpled her brow. "Who would you leave?" To leave the lands in someone else's hands... Arya tried to remember what her father had done when he left Winterfell.
Gendry smiled again. "Well, I was hoping you would, once we're wed. Like I said, someone I trust."
Arya frowned. "You think I would just stay behind?" She asked, eyes narrowed. "I would be riding out with you to fight, not staying at home like some little wife." Gendry's mouth twitched slightly into a smile, like he was trying not to laugh at something, and Arya pouted slightly before she realised what he meant. "What makes you so sure we'll be wed?" She asked dryly, irritated that he had brought it up again.
Gendry rolled onto his side. "I have made it clear that I intend to marry you," he replied lightly. "Hopefully it won't take a year, but I'll wait if I have to, the gods know I've waited long enough already- whats another year?" He sounded so certain that he would succeed that Arya huffed. Suddenly her stomach growled violently, and she felt a flash of something, but it was gone before she could grasp it.
Gendry shot her an amused look, his eyebrow lifted. "Hungry, are you?" He chuckled. Arya prodded him with her elbow.
"What makes you think you'll win our wager?" She asked, changing the subject back, rolling onto her front and laying her head on her folded arms, and pulling one knee up. It was so strange to hear him talk so confidently; as children he had always been so unsure- hearing him talk like this was just another reminder of how much he had changed.
Gendry rolled onto his back again, getting comfortable before he replied, and Arya waited for his response. "Because a year is more than enough time," he said, and he didn't have to say the words for Arya to understand what he meant, the unspoken "for you to fall in love with me" ringing loudly in the silence. "Besides," he added more softly, "We're already half way there."
The words made Arya's heart jump into her throat and she chewed her lip. Unsure how to respond, Arya rolled over to face away from him and closed her eyes, pretending to go to sleep. She heard Gendry sigh and shift in his furs, and slowly his breathing deepened and she knew he was asleep. She could hear Tom singing in the distance somewhere, and found his silhouette by a fire.
What did that mean? Arya thought. Halfway there? He didn't make sense. Arya rolled the words around in her mind over and over again, trying to understand. Perhaps he was referring to the kiss? Or maybe that she wasn't trying to kill him anymore? Arya didn't know, but just before she drifted into an uneasy sleep she thought, perhaps he's already there, and that is what he meant by half way.
The wind blew softly, rustling her thick fur, and she lifted her nose to inhale. Somewhere in the distance she could hear the noises of men, lots of them, and not long ago a pack of her kind had run from the noise. The smell of smoke and horses drifted on the breeze, and she felt her stomach rumble. She was hungry; there was little to hunt around here.
Turning around she began to run, her enormous feet striking the earth, her sharp claws digging into the wet ground. She knew these parts, she once had brothers and sisters here, the small ones, but she left them. Besides, they weren't her true brothers and sisters, because they were all dead save one...
Where was he now? She could sense that he was not where she had left him, he had moved. She growled as she saw an orange glow in the distance, figures gathered around it. She sniffed the air, there was food, rabbit. Lowering her head she moved swiftly through the trees, towards the fires. She could see more clearly now, men, lots of men, stretching miles. Were they her brothers old pack?
Slowly she inched her way forwards, padding silently across the ground, stretching out to sniff a man on the ground... he was asleep, and she moved closer, her eyes on the rabbits by the fire... she never risked being near men like this; all animals fled from her, but she fled from men, with their long sharp claws and their hot fires, but she could sense her, somewhere near...
She stretched out her neck, lifting one foot and then she would reach it, when suddenly there was a scream. She froze and then backed away quickly, ears twitching for the source of the sound. People began to stir, wakened by the scream, and she bared her teeth when men began to pick up those dangerous claws...
Arya jolted upright, sweating and breathing heavily, barely registering the screaming. Subconsciously she was aware of Gendry sitting up beside her, but she was already on her feet and headed to the source of the shouts and the screaming, not even stopping to yank on her boots.
"Arya!" Gendry shouted, but he was too late, Arya was running. She could hear him cursing as he chased after her, grabbing his sword in the process.
"No!" She shouted, as she saw men circling around something, swords raised. "No, leave her!" Suddenly she was jolted to a stop, Gendry's hand like iron around her arm. "No! Get off me, let me go!" She tried to wrench herself from his grasp but he pulled her around.
"Arya what the fuck are you doing?" He bellowed, a dangerous look on his face as she squirmed to get away from him, scratching at his hands. "Arya stop this now!"
"No! Let go, let me- stop!" She screamed towards the shouting men. "Please, stop!"
Gendry shook her, shocked to see pure fear etched into Arya's face. "Arya will you just stop this, what's wrong with yo-"
"Gendry, please," she sobbed. "Stop them, please!" She trembled in his hold, and Gendry was so surprised her let her go. Instantly Arya was running to the mania, where men were shouting and running near the edge of the trees. Arya pushed her way desperately through the crowd, shoving men aside and squeezing through gaps.
"What are you doing here girl?!" A man shouted, grabbing at her arm, and Arya turned around with a snarl on her lips, only to see Gendry grab the man.
"Let her go," he commanded, giving Arya a nod. Arya raced on towards the main source of the noise, and flung herself through the shouting men.
"No!" She screamed. "Stop this- stop it now!" She turned to the huge grey direwolf, snarling and snapping as men lashed out at her with swords. The wolf was snapping and growling, her lips pulled back and hackles raised as she charged at a man that thrust a sword at her, and Arya could see an arrow stuck loosely in the wolfs shoulder.
"Nymeria!" She shouted, running to the angry wolf. "Nymeria its me!" The wolf turned around at the sound of Arya's voice, and Arya felt her shoulders relax a little as the wolf hesitated- but that hesitation was long enough, and the man sliced at the wolf with his sword. In an instant Nymeria span, and lunged for him.
"No!" Arya shouted, reaching for the wolf, and then she collapsed into another world...
Gendry awoke suddenly to the sound of shouting and screaming, just in time to see Arya bolt up and run towards the source of the noise. His heart jumped and he leaped up, grabbing his sword as he chased after the girl. Was it an attack? Raiders? Gendry cursed as he stumbled after Arya. "Arya!" He shouted, but she ignored him, or didn't hear, he didn't know which, but she gave no indication that she had heard him.
Arya darted through camp fires, shouting with desperation, and he followed clumsily in her wake, furious that she would run to the unknown danger without even grabbing a sword, before stretching his arm out and grabbing her. She struggled away from him, but he held on as she shouted and screamed, and Gendry was shocked to see pure, unadulterated panic and fear on her face as she screamed for him to let go. He almost forgot his anger at her desperation to get away; he had never seen her like this, except once, long ago.
The burning sword snapped in two, and the Hounds cold steel plowed into Lord Beric's flesh where his shoulder joined to his neck and drove clean down to the breastbone. The blood came rushing out in a hot black gush.
Gendry watched as Beric fell to his knees as if in prayer, and then crumpled to the ground, dead. Thoros sprang forward and knelt over Beric's body, speaking so rapidly that Gendry couldn't make out what he was saying, not over the Hounds screaming as he tried to put out the fire.
Suddenly there was a blur of movement, and he saw Arya grab a knife from Greenbeard's belt, running for the Hound, an expression of rage and fury on her face.
"Arya, No!" He shouted. Without thinking Gendry ran around the boulder as she leapt over it, and caught her bodily mid jump.
"NO!" She screamed, trying to wrestle away from him, the dagger still clutched in her tiny fist. Her hands pummeled his arm uselessly as he hoisted her into the air, ignoring her kicking legs. "NO! LET GO OF ME, LET ME GO!" She screamed, flailing over his shoulder.
Gendry had no choice but to wrestle her to the ground, as she beat at him and screamed in anger and frustration, her tiny frame dwarfed by his body.
"BURN IN HELL!" She screamed at the Hound, as Gendry wrenched her back down, wondering if he had ever seen anyone as wild as she was in that instant...
Arya screamed as he pulled her back to him, her small body crashing into his as she panicked. "Arya, what the fuck are you doing?" He bellowed at her, but she barely seemed to hear him. "Arya, stop this, stop this now!" She kicked and squirmed in his grasp, desperately trying to get towards the source of the noise.
"No! Let go, let me- stop!" She screamed towards the shouting men. "Please, stop!"
Gendry shook her, shocked to see pure fear etched into Arya's face. "Arya will you just stop this, what's wrong with yo-"
"Gendry, please," she sobbed. "Stop them, please!" She trembled in his hold, and Gendry was so surprised her let her go. Instantly Arya was running to the mania, where men were shouting and running near the edge of the trees. Gendry chased after her, ready to pull her back out of harms way at a moments notice.
"What are you doing here girl?!" A man shouted, grabbing at her arm, and Arya turned around with a snarl on her lips, but Gendry grasped the mans shoulder.
"Let her go," he commanded, giving Arya a nod. Arya shot him a quick look of something he didn't recognise before shooting off again, squeezing through gaps and out of sight.
There was so much noise and shouting, and Gendry pushed his way forward until he could see what was happening, just in time to see Arya charge at an enormous Dire Wolf.
"Nymeria!" She begged, reaching out to the wolf. "Nymeria, it's me!" The wolf stopped in her attack and for a moment Gendry thought she had stopped, but in the wolfs pause, a man slashed at her with a sword, and then several things happened at once.
The wolf span around again, snapping and snarling at the man, who stumbled back having dropped his sword, her massive jaws aimed straight at his throat. At the same time, Arya screamed "NO!" again, and reached for the wolf, and then perhaps one of the strangest things Gendry had ever seen happened.
Arya seemed to stop in her movement as if she was pulled back by some invisible force, choked off from her scream of desperation, and then collapsed to the ground, where she seemed to convulse. At the exact same time, the dire wolf halted in her movements, stropping her attack.
Everyone burst into panic, before some gathered their senses, making to attack the wolf again, but Gendry had seen this before. "No, put down your swords!" He commanded, his voice bellowing and drowning out everyone else. "I SAID PUT DOWN YOUR SWORDS, NOBODY MOVE!" The men stared at him bewildered, but did as he said, and Gendry was relieved to see that the wolf didn't move from where she seemed to be trapped in daze.
Gendry leaped over to Arya's prone form, lifting her head and shoulders up, and brushed the hair from her pale as snow face, startled to see her eyes had gone completely white, like they had turned back to front. She trembled a couple of times, and then lay still.
"Arya?" He asked, giving her a small shake, ignoring the murmurings behind him, when he saw movement. "Stop, nobody move!" He shouted, holding a hand out towards the man who had attacked Nymeria moments ago. "If you kill the wolf, you kill Arya! Not a single man is to move!" They looked at him with confusion, but backed away from the wolf all the same, who stayed in a dazed state. Gendry turned back to Arya.
"Arya?" He said again, giving her a small shake. He'd seen Jon do this before, once, but it hadn't been quite like this. Gendry began to worry- had Arya done it deliberately? Had something gone wrong? With a new sense of urgency, Gendry shook her again. "Come on, Arya wake up." He watched carefully, and then, so quickly that his heart jumped in his chest, Arya's eyes bolted open and she took in a deep, shuddering breath.
"Shh," he said, rocking her slightly. Her hands shot up and grasped his as her eyes darted around wildly, trying to focus. "It's alright, Arya shh-"
"Nymeria," she gasped, trying to sit up, but Gendry pushed her back down. She shook her head. "No- don't hurt her- please don't hurt her-"
"Arya she's fine," he said gently, giving up on holding her down, and instead gently helping her to sit. She panted and leaned against his chest, breathing quickly and shallowly as her eyes sought out Nymeria. The wolf was still calm but, Gendry could see how she seemed to be coming to again, blinking her black eyes and tensing her shoulders.
"What-" Arya said shakily, "What happened?" She seemed to try to recollect, her grey eyes darting around for the answer. "They were attacking us- her? I had to- but..." she trailed off, and looked at Gendry for answers, and he watched her carefully before answering.
"You're like Jon, aren't you?" He asked hesitantly, sighing when he saw her imperceptible nod. He was about to speak up again, when he heard a low growl and a shift of movement; Nymeria was pulling herself to her full height again, her lips pulled back and haunches raised as she snarled at the men, who backed away, raising their swords again. Gendry felt Arya stiffen in his arms, and realised she was trying to stand again. He held her gently and helped her to her feet, though she protested and made to walk to her wolf.
"Woah-woah, hold it," Gendry said, pulling her back. "What are you doing?" Nymeria snapped, lunging for the man closest to her, and shouts of alarm went back up.
Arya tried to wrench herself free of his grip. "Gendry, please," she said, holding his gaze. "You have to let me go." Her grey eyes, so dark and deep and full of something that Gendry didn't understand held his imploringly, and he loosened his grip.
"Promise me you won't do anything stupid," he said, gazing into her eyes.
"I promise," she said, desperately. He hesitated and then released her, giving her a single terse nod. Arya breathed in relief and pulled away, running at the enormous grey and tawny wolf.
There were shouts of alarm as the small girl reached out and grasped a handful of the wolfs neck fur and swung herself elegantly onto her back. The wolf shook her enormous head, and tightened her haunches before springing forward and leaping over the heads of the men in front of her, and bounding off into the trees.
Gendry watched as they disappeared, hoping that he had not made a foolish decision.
Yay! Nym is back! Haven't written her for aaaages, I thought I ought to bring her back at some point... so here she is! Or there she was, seeing as she has disappeared with Arya... that's trouble. Poor Gendry- poor boy never knows what is going on. So that's another update, I hope you all liked it, any questions- let me know! Over and Out xox
NOTE: Oh, I almost forgot- a couple of people have been asking about why Gendry and Arya seem somewhat disjointed and stuff- this will sound so pretentious, but I'm trying to capture the idea that although Jon and Gendry are the good guys and everything, they are still a product of their society, and as such (despite being the good guys) still have those antiquated views. I'm not saying don't be mad at them for being like that- be mad! Arya is!- but they are just a product of society and all of that tosh!