Gendry led Yoren and Privan to the kitchen so they can fill they almost empty stomacs. The servants gave them food and drink but seemed unconfortable around Yoren, this boy who looked so much like lord Gendry but who wasn't young lord Robert...
Gendry watched his son eat with a strong appetite. He reminded him of his mother, Arya who never ate properly and always ended with her clothes stained with food... He wanted to stay here, with Yoren but he couldn't, he had someting to do while the boy would be taking a bath.
« -Blimau, make sure these two bathe, give them clean and fresh clothes. And prepare two rooms.» He turned toward his son « -I have something to do, follow Blimau, I'll see you later. » He must do something to do that would be, he guessed, utterly unpleasant. He had to talk to his lady wife.
Yoren looked too much like him for their parentage to stay a secret for long. So, the sooner he would talk to his wife, the better. Gendry respected his wife and even had a genuine affection for her, he didn't want to hurt her... Honesty was the better path to take in this delicate situation.
That's when he standed in front of his wife's rooms door that he hesitated. Was he doing the right thing, the right way ? He took a deep breath to calm down his heart's frantic rythm before he knocked.
« -You may enter. » Her voice was a bit higher than usual. When he opened the door, he saw her, seated between her younger sister, lady Felli and lady Sinda, a distant cousin of her doing needlework for the poor.
« -My lady, I need a word with you. Alone. » The two ladies began to leave the room but lady Tasha stopped them. « -There's no need to leave. For I already know what my lord husband want to tell me. Don't leave and stay, I want you to be the witness of my husband's improperty. »Her brown eyes were shinning with anger.
The younger ladies were as ill-at-ease as can be. They didn't want to displease any one of the two most powerful person in the Stormland. And they were tickled with curiosity, what kind of improperty was Tasha talking about ? Lord Gendry was well known in all the land to be a faithful and caring husband... The other lords always made fun of him when he refused to follow them into brothels...
Gendry was shocked, how could she know ? How did all of this travelled so quick ? Then, he remembered. Robert. His son wasn't there when they exited the forge. He must have eavesdroped their conversation and ran to repart it to his lady mother... He'll need to have a word with Robert about respecting people's privacy...
« -Well, since you alreday know, I'll be quick and clear. Yoren is my son, he was conceived before our marriage. He will be raised here, at Storm's End, along our children. » He knew it was very unlikely she would let it be without struggle...
His wife looked at him, her gaze uncredulous and furious. « -You want me to raise my children with your bastard ? Have you lost your mind ? May the Father Above witness my words, I will not let your... flithy whore's son keep company to my children ! »
At this words, Gendry understood why his House's words were Ours is the fury, he was absolutely mad at her. He squeezed his fists and jaw hard.
« -Hear me, wife. My son will be raised under my roof with our children. That's it. You may be Lady Baratheon, but only by marriage. This roof is mine and I decide what happens under it. So, I don't care if you like this situation or not, for I decide what will be and what will not. Am I understood ? »
The ladies were looking at him, uncredulous and speechless. Lord Gendry was known to be a kind and careful man. Any person who met him was surprised to see such a huge man being so gentle, so unlike his late father who was known for his volcanic temperement. But right now, his Baratheon heritage was as clear as day, his voice was as hard as rock, his gaze as violent as a storm.
His eyes met his wife's, she was both angry and sad. More angry than sad... So, he addded « -And never call Yoren's mother a whore ever again. She's the bravest, strongest, wisest woman I've ever met. » Lady Tasha lowered her head to hide her eyes from him and asked, with a voice shaking with fury « And who is the amazing woman ? Why is she not with her son ? »
She was right, why Arya wasn't with Yoren ? Why did she entrusted someone else with their son's care ? Did something happen to her ? A deep, devouring terror was eating him from the inside.
« -You know her name, everybody does. She is Arya, of House Stark. » That caught his wife's attention « -The Dawn Bringer ? I thought you didn't know her ? » Gendry didn't want to talk about this with her, especially now in front of the two Buckler maidens.
« -I do not wish to speak with you about that, not now. I have given rooms to Yoren and his travelling companion, you have no duties towards them. »
He was exiting the room but he felt lady Tasha's burning gaze upon his shoulders. He was worried. He has heard so many tales about bastards mistreated by their lord father's wife. He will make sure Yoren will be fine, always.
« -I don't ask you to love him, Tasha. I don't ask you to be a mother for him, he already has one. Just, leave him be, let our children meet him, they share blood after all. That's all what I ask. » His voice was sad, he knew he was hurting her very deeply.
« -That is a lot, my lord. » My lord, she stopped calling him this way in private at Robert's birth...
« -I think everything has been said for now. My ladies, I will leave you to your business. » He quickly bowed before he left the room.
Walking to his son's room, he tought about Tasha. He didn't marry her for love or pleasure, he married her because she was the only surviving heir of House Buckler, faithful bannermen of House Baratheon and he needed the local noblemen's acceptance. And he needed heirs.
He remembered her reaction. The next weeks will be decisive about their marriage, will his lady wife cope with Yoren or will things get worse ?