Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Ice and Fire Novels, Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon TV shows. However, I decided to have a little play around with the characters. I do not earn any money from writing these stories, it is for my entertainment and is something I like to share.

Sam III

Sam should've known Arya wouldn't take kindly to the idea of marriage, not that he'd known who or what Bran was offering, however he should've guessed. About ten minutes after Arya had left the great hall, Sam grew restless, he had a bad feeling she'd run a bit further than her bedroom. To compound matters, Bronn had just arrived with the little box of rubies.

"My Lord." he bowed his head to Gendry passing him the box.

"I...I... thank you Lord Bronn." Gendry replied looking into the box and seeing all of the rubies he looked up confused.

"They're err.. to put in that coat of armour that you've got, the one which belonged to Rhaegar Targaryen." Sam nodded.

"What for?" Gendry asked.

"Because they were the ones which were in his armour before your father killed him. Bran thinks it would look nice all returned to it's original glory." he smiled weakly.

"It's a bit gruesome. And it's bashed in a lot. I suppose I could always restore it myself." Gendry shrugged.

"It would be a nice project." Sam nodded. "Where do you think Arya's gone?" he asked.

Gendry laughed. "She's probably in Winterfell by now." he said, although the look on his face suggested he was crestfallen.

"What ave I missed?" Bronn asked.

"The King has offered Lord Baratheon the hand of Princess Arya." Sam told him.

"And what did you say?" Bronn looked at Gendry in confusion.

"I said that I would agree to the King's terms as long as Arya wasn't forced into a marriage with anyone." Gendry smiled.

"Ah well there's a problem with that one." Bronn nodded. "You see, the King might not be able to have kids, the Grand Maester here won't say... so he's preparing his sister so she can give him heirs. You don't get to say no but nobody can have her. That's not how it works. Either you say yes or if you don't agree the terms we offer her to someone else."

Sam looked towards Bronn. "That's cold. No, Bran is just wanting..." he started.

"Bran wants Arya married and Gendry's allegiance, just in case there's any wars to be fought." Bronn corrected him.

"And are there?" Gendry asked.

"Are there what?" Bronn frowned.

"Are we expecting wars? I'm not sure how much sway I have over the few bannermen I've got. I'm mainly in charge of farmers and ports." Gendry asked. "I'm not sure if people are ready for another war."

"And what made you such an expert?" Bronn asked Gendry. "Anyway, farmers have tools which can just as likely kill a man as any sword."

"Farmers aren't killers." Sam said quietly.

"Bollocks! Everyone is a killer, they just don't know it yet." Bronn laughed.

"Ooh, I don't know..." Sam frowned.

"Let me ask you something. Have you ever met a five year old who hasn't squatted a fly or killed a spider?" Bronn asked, to which Sam shook his head. "There you go, if you can kill one of them little fuckers, then you can run a pitchfork through a man's belly."

"Is there a war coming?" Gendry asked.

This was genuinely a question which was beginning to concern Sam. It was as if Bronn knew something he didn't. As far as Sam was concerned they were securing allegiance, not planning for war. He knew Jon might be on his way to Dragonstone, but the adult Bran Stark didn't know his brother like Sam did. Jon was Jon, nothing would change him, not even a dragon. Although he did have to admit, his friend had seemed like a changed man around the Dragon Queen. However, that had nothing to do with Westeros, as long as Jon didn't set foot on Westerosi soil, then it wasn't their problem. Although it could be suggested Dragonstone being part of Westeros was setting foot on King Bran's Kingdom, although Dragonstone had historically been the home of the Targaryens, making it Jon's ancestral home.

"If Jon and that dragon come back to Westeros to torch us all, then trust me, there will be war." Bronn stated.

"Why war?" Sam frowned. "Can't we just talk to him? I'm sure Jon would listen."

"The King knows things we don't. There's whispers which he can't tell us. All we can do is listen to his instructions and do as he asks. Remember, you're the Grand Maester and sworn to whoever is King. You don't question his decisions or actions. You just follow his orders." Bronn said in a voice which suddenly made Sam feel scared.

"How..." Sam gulped. "How is he supposed to find out whispers from across the narrow sea? Wouldn't that be where the invaders are coming from? I didn't think his powers stretched that far."

"We've got a new council member who has been helping him. She's been working in Essos for the last year." Bronn smirked.

"How do you know this and I don't?" Sam frowned.

"Because I pay the fuckin' wages." Bronn snapped. "Like yours and Gilly's."

Sam nodded, suddenly scared for his family. Up until Drogon leaving, Bran had seemed completely reasonable and a decent King, but something had changed and nothing was making sense. "What do we do?" Sam asked.

"We look for Arya. You stay here." Bronn said turning to gendry's guards. "Search the castle until you find her!" he ordered. The guards looked at Gendry who nodded.

"Go and find her." he told them. "But be careful, she'll kill you if you try to..." he started to warn them but was interrupted.

"Oh fer fucks sake. If you want a job doin right, you ave to do it yourself." Bronn snapped. "With me lads." he ordered the guards who looked to Gendry first but followed Bronn.

Half an hour later they returned, while Sam and Gendry had waited nervously in the Great Hall.

"Where the fuck is the little bitch?" Sam heard Bronn complain loudly outside the doors, a comment which clearly upset Gendry, who got up and walked over to where Bronn was just about to walk in.

"I'll have you know not to call Arya a bitch again?" Gendry said to Bronn in his most stern manner.

Bronn pulled out his Valyrian steel sword and held it to Gendry's neck. "And what you gonna do about it?" he asked, Gendry turned white. "Thought not." Bronn frowned before spinning around and swinging the sword at the approaching guard who was only protecting his Lord. The poor guard may have been wearing steel armour, but it would've been no match for a master swordsman wielding a Valyrian steel sword. Especially when the guard wasn't even wearing a helmet. Armour or not, all it took Bronn was one swing at the man and his head was clean off, rolling three times on the floor before it came to a standstill. The clattering of armour resonating across the room as the headless corpse dropped to the floor. "Don't even think about it." Bronn warned the other guard who stepped back.

"Erm.. so what do we do now?" Sam asked meekly.

"She's gone somewhere. Probably north." Bronn said turning to Sam. "You fuck off back to Kings Landing, tell him Gendry will fight with us if we need his farmers. Otherwise the crown might have to tax the ports around this neck of the woods a bit higher than the rest of Westeros. It might cause some of those traders from the narrow sea to reconsider their ports as that is where most of the money comes from." he said slyly as Gendry nodded, his face clearly fearful of saying no. "You need to tell the King that you lost the Princess and I've gone to look for her. She shouldn't be too far from here if she's on foot. I suspect by the time you get back to the capital the Lady of Lys will be there with her news. Oh, and take very good care of Gilly and the kids." he added slyly, sending shivers down Sam's back.

"I...I think I ought to go." Sam told Gendry. "But I'll send a raven first to..." he stopped. "No better not, don't want this news getting out. You never know who could intercept a raven." he shrugged.

"Wise choice." Bronn nodded. "Right, it's been nice seeing you again Lord Baratheon. I'll let meself out with a horse and some grub from the kitchens and I'll go looking for the Princess." he added before walking off and out of the doors.

Gendry waited until Bronn had left before he turned to Sam. "Try to make sure Arya is safe. I'd marry her if she'd let me. I would be honoured for her to produce an heir for me, the crown and the north." he said. "But she won't, not even for her brother, so try and talk him out of it."

"I will." Sam nodded. "Well I'll be off then, he looked at the box of rubies. "I'm sure you can make Prince Rhaegar's armour look like it should." he smiled.

"Is it for Prince Rhaegars memory or his son to wear?" Gendry raised an eyebrow.

"I'll leave that up to you. Good to see you my Lord." Sam smiled before turning around.

"You too Sam." Gendry replied as Sam walked towards the door, guilt washing all over him. He needed to get back to Kings Landing to make sure Gilly and the babes were fine. He needed to meet this Lady of Lys, and he had to know what on earth was going on with Bran and his strange behaviour of late. He shuffled back into the yard, climbed back into the wheelhouse and began the week long journey back to Kings Landing.

I know this is a really short chapter, but this was a small update on Sam and the aftermath of Arya disappearing which needed to be addressed.

If you like this story, please like, follow and/or review. It helps motivate me to get the chapters written and published quicker (although there might be another update later tonight).

Mandzipop.