Chapter 26

Arya

Gendry had caused some confusion when entering the Redkeep. He'd sent people in all direction searching for Arya. It was not hard to find her, she was in the hands tower, somewhere she felt close to her father. So many years ago Arya had seen her father executed but she didn't think of those times. Instead she would think of the times she saw her father in the tower hunched over his large wooden table scribbling and signing important documents. She was always getting herself into trouble and found herself stood opposite her father while her chided her about her behaviour. How she wished to go back to those times.

"Arya." A sweet voice drifted to her in the corner of the room. When she looked down she realised that she was stood exactly where her father used to make her stand when he was telling her off yet again. Glancing up she saw a young female holding the door open just enough for her to allow her head through. "Gendry wishes to have an audience with you My Lady."

If Gendry was asking for an audience it meant he had thought through her actions, hopefully he understood her rash movements. "I'll accept." Arya's voice was so unlike her own. After losing Kida she had done nothing but cry, her voice box could take no more of her wailing.

Gendry marched in with grace although he was armoured in his best which he had made at Winterfell. The moment he approached her head on she felt her knees go and that horrible wailing started again. It was so unlike Arya to cry but now she let the tears flow freely down her cheeks. At first Gendry was startled then he rushed to her side to pull her into his arms. She resisted as much as she could but she found herself on his lap and her head pressed on to his chest piece of his amour. It was so cold, she could barely feel the warmth of his skin underneath. Any heat she could feel made her want to strip him and hold him tight.

Arya had never felt emotions with others as much as she felt with Gendry. He was her rock even though she sometimes disagreed. She knew now that he would be there for her no matter what she did and this time she had defied him quite a bit. He had to see her good intentions though, if he loved her then he would understand. She had to make him understand even if it took every last breath from her body. He would understand her love for her sister. The fear she felt grip tightly in her chest as she thought of it now she felt it constrict. Please, to whom ever is listening, do not let them take my sister. Arya preyed as she wept.

When she felt she was done she looked up at Gendry who had tears of his own streaking his face. Slowly she reached up and wiped them away with her thumb. Grabbing her wrist he placed a soft kiss on the inside of her palm. Looking down at her while he did this his eyes shone with love. How she had missed that stair. Maybe he had been giving it to her but she had spent so much time drinking she hadn't noticed it. Arya loved Gendry, she truly did, and this made her feel rotten to the core. Disobeying him was one thing, then to hide away in a tower was another. She should have met him at the gates and thrown herself at his feet to beg forgiveness. Then she would weep in front of all for the loss of her brother. Arya wondered if he still drew breath, she would find out soon enough.

"Forgive me Gendry, I have wronged you and I know you should not forgive me and you should make an example of me to your men and to your court but as you do be aware that I love you. With all my heart I can say I have never loved another like you." Taking a deep breath Arya continued before he could speak. "Kida is dead. She was slain be Andrus and his men. They are either dead or being tortured for information, I knew nothing of his plans and thought him loyal."

Gendry placed a finger on Arya's lips to stop the tumble of word flowing from her mouth. "Arya, my beloved wife, it was made clear you had nothing to do with Andrus' deception and the attempt on your brother's life. It was also made apparent that Kida was of the order of the faceless men." Arya looked away with guild, she had never told Gendry for fear of what he might have done to her. "You need not worry Arya, I will stop this from getting out at court but you must be more careful with whom you ally yourself with." Gendry's large blue eyes shone down on Arya's face. She had missed how he looked at her.

A sudden tingling sensation spread across Arya's body, starting from her abdomen and spreading outwards. She needed to be with Gendry at that moment, it took all her strength not to pull herself up his chest and kiss him until they were breathless. At this moment in time Arya thought it unwise to do so, after all she did not know whether he was still angry at her. Waiting for the urge to pass was the hardest. Gendry had a glint in his eyes that told her that he had the same idea. His eyes glimmered with desire for her flesh and the need to feel love was the one thing she saw first.

Lifting herself higher, Arya placed a gentle kiss on his lips to test the waters between them. At first his arms were rigid on her waist and then he loosened as she went in for a second attempt. There kisses began to deepen and Arya felt him shift to give her a better reach of his body. She felt his hands begin to explore the slight curves of her body. Her hips, then her rib cage and moving slowly to sup her breast. Moaning into his lips encouraged him to do more. Arya fiddled with the straps of his breast plate and when she freed them they parted so he could free himself of its metal grasp. Once free he laid her gently on the cold stone floor, it didn't bother Arya, she just needed to feel his skin on hers. Feel his love in his touch.

Through the heavy wooden door they heard a light knock and then raised voices. Looking up at Gendry she saw his disappointment. Leaning down her placed a trail of kisses down her neck. Finishing on her shoulder. Pulling his teeth back up he stopped at her ear, sniffing lightly at her hair she noticed him sigh in relief.

"Will shall carry this on later my love, we are need unfortunately. How I have missed you my beloved wife." Gendry kissed her on the lips before helping her to her feet.

As they dusted themselves off the door opened wide with force, Gendry shoved Arya behind him and grabbed for his sword on the floor, only to relax when he saw an auburn fury. Sansa had barged her way in and was giving the guard one hell of a talking to when she noticed Arya's tousled hair.

"I will let you off just this once as my sister was having a reunion with her husband." Turning to Gendry she bowed low. "My King, I believe we have something to discuss."

Message from the writer:

To my beloved lover,

This one is for your birthday, I know you love to read these chapters so this is for you. You have encouraged me to want to do more and I cannot wait to do more with you. I love you so much and if I get done for this then to hell with it. It is a birthday treat!

Sincerely,

Your grapefruit.