Gendry sat by the dying fire using a stick to stoke the embers as he glanced around to observe the rest of the ragtag group he agreed to follow a week ago. To his left was Myria, his friend of over seven years, and her husband Jon was sitting to her left. He didn't know the man well, but after spending a week on the road he respected him. He was the one to suggest the large traveling group they had started with split up, to be able to move faster and less detected. The Stark guards had taken the King's Road and the small group of four he now traversed with stuck to the woods and hidden paths to avoid unwanted eyes.
Unconventional, but wise. As they had heard many in the small villages they past speak of the Lannister army moving through this very area. How Jaime Lannister's forces were laying siege to Riverrun and how his father's forces were attempting to reach the Northern army before they crossed the bridge at the Twins.
Jon had also been teaching Gendry to hunt, a skill he never knew he would need, but Jon insisted if he wanted to join the Night's Watch then he must be able to catch something. The Stark man was of few words, but what words he did use were kind and intelligent. He praised the black-haired boy for his learning capabilities instead of scolding him for mistakes like Tobho did when the bastard had begun his blacksmith training.
And to his right was the spitfire little sister of Jon, Arya. She had the looks of a highborn lady, though she would probably punch him if he ever said those words out loud. Not to say she looked on par with Myria, no. She dressed, argued, complained, and picked fights all as a boy would. But she had this air around her he couldn't quite pinpoint, perhaps it was her agreeableness when she was in a good mood? Or her intelligence a common girl or boy her age would not have?
He figured it didn't matter in the end. She was a highborn lady that didn't want to be one, even though it was a role many would kill to be. She simply wanted to be rid of it and got infuriated whenever the poor boy would call her anything close to "My lady."
Gendry personally found it hilarious to rile her up. She would always aim for his shins which was quite an easy attack to sidestep.
And now the group of four including himself were somewhere in the wilderness, sitting around a small fire to not draw attention to themselves. The group had quickly shed their fine garments at the start of the journey for clothing less obvious. Myria dressed in a rough brown dress with a small apron, appearing as a maid or cook of some sort, Jon without his Northern cloak or jerkin to appear more of a sellsword or a common traveler, and Arya in a rough tunic and ragged pants truly tied together with the belief she was a young boy. The only things out of place on the trio would be the two finely made swords attached to Jon and Myria's belts, the small thin sword Arya had dubbed "Needle" on her hip, and the leather bag around the Dornish woman's shoulders she had yet to take off.
Gendry himself only had the clothes on his back and a small knapsack of rations and a few of his personal belongings. The only time living as a bastard had done him any good in this world as it made it far easier for him to blend in than the other three.
"I don't suppose you'll ever tell me what's in your bag Myria?" The woman in question turned her head to glance at the blue-eyed boy.
"Doubt you would believe me if I told you what was in here, Gendry."
He shrugged, "Try me, I've got an open mind."
He caught a scoff to his right, "If my sister doesn't want to tell you, then she shouldn't have to." He glanced at the younger girl and smirked at the heated gaze she was shooting at him.
"Technically she's not your sister."
"Yes she is, she's married to Jon!"
"No," The bastard shook his head. "That makes her your sister-in-law, not your actual sister."
"Ugh, doesn't matter. You are so infuriating!" She jumped up from the ground. "Why did we even bring him with us?! It's not like he's helping at all."
"Have to say you're wrong there Arya," The angry she-wolf glared at her older brother. "He was the one who caught the rabbit we ate just now, so I'd say he is helpful."
"Stop defending him Jon! You're my brother, not his." Arya huffed as she paced around the campfire before stomping over to a tree nearby and angrily sitting down with her back against the trunk.
"So…Where exactly are we now?" Gendry pondered as the girl stewed in the corner of the clearing.
"Well," Jon began to answer as he pulled out a small, tattered map. "We're coming close to the Crossroads Inn, passed right by Harrenhal this morning. This means we are almost to the division between the Riverlands and the Vale. Will probably pass the Inn in the morning, hopefully, none of the Lannister soldiers have taken up roost there yet." The blacksmith nodded his head at the Northern man's answer.
Myria glanced at the map, "So hopefully we will reach Riverrun in the next few days."
"Aye."
Gendry let out a sigh of relief, it seemed the plan of traveling slyly may work out well. He shifted his bunched up cloak around on the ground to fix a somewhat passable pillow before laying down for the night. As he tried to relax he heard Arya rise from her place by the tree and rejoin them by the fire. He glanced up as Myria gestured to the young girl and the brunette grumpily shuffled over to her and laid down next to the Dornish woman. She quickly rolled over away from her sister-in-law, but relaxed when tan arms wrapped around her body. Movement from behind him caught his ear and he rolled to see Jon standing from his seat by the fire.
"Just going to keep watch," Gendry nodded.
"If you want you can wake me when you wish to sleep Jon." The man shrugged his shoulders.
"You need your rest Gendry."
"So do you."
The Stark glanced down at the boy with a smirk on his face, can't top that logic at all. He tilted his head in agreement and the blue-eyed boy rolled back over to settle in for the few hours of sleep he could get.
Sunlight crested over the horizon as the young boy awoke. He shot up from his resting place and pivoted his head around.
"Jon's asleep Gendry. And so should you, it's far too early." His eyes jutted to the tree Arya was by the night prior and locked gazes with amethyst eyes.
The boy quirked his brow, "Early for you too, Myria."
"Yes, I suppose."
"Seems like you and your husband are cut from the same stubborn cloth," He got a laugh out of her, or maybe more of a giggle. "Both agree with logic but refuse to listen to it."
"Never thought of it that way Gen," The dark-haired woman stretched her arms as she continued. "Just that Jon and I are trying to look out for you and Arya. You may have a cock between your legs, but I'm still older than you."
"My word," The boy gasped between his laughter. "Such vulgar language from a lady."
"We both know Arya's worse than me."
"What am I worse at?" The pair silenced their laughter when Arya's sleepy voice cut through the boisterous noise.
"Your language, dear sister."
Arya smiled, "Ha! See, Gendry. She said it," She leaped from the ground and ran to hug the Dornish woman. "I'm her sister."
"Oh, of course, you are," He played along. "But that makes you a highborn, My Lady."
"Oh you are going to bloody get it!"
The bastard then had the smarts to jump up and run away from the rage of the small she-wolf as she barrelled after him. Myria observed the tomfoolery with a carefree smile upon her face. She was happy the eleven-year-old was able to still hold her spirit with her. As the two continued their roughhousing she swiftly rose from her nightly perch and wandered over to her sleeping husband, gently shaking him awake. The man's grey eyes fluttered open and he smiled when he was met with the face of his lovely wife.
"My lady wife," He slowly sat up as Myria began to pack up their small camp.
She smirked, "My lord husband. Arya and Gendry are already awake and trying to fight each other."
"Well, no surprise there Ria," He stretched his legs and snagged a piece of bread from his small pack full of rations. "How's everything else?"
She patted the leather bag that was practically fused to her hip, "Safe and secure," The dark-haired man let out a small sigh of relief as he wrapped his sword belt around his waist. "Hopefully we will be able to meet up with Robb's forces soon."
"I'm pretty sure we will reach Riverrun soon, seeing it is only a few days ride on the River Road once we stop following the King's Road," He shrugged his shoulders, "If not we'll simply find another way around the Lannister troops."
The Dornish woman quirked her brow, "You know there might be a faster way to pass through the troops instead of sneaking around them."
"What's your idea?"
"Well, both armies are attempting to size the other up at the moment," Myria began as Arya and Gendry finally joined the couple in breaking their fasts. "All we know for certain is Jaime Lannister and his troops are at Riverrun laying siege to it. So there will be no way to slip by his forces without being seen. But we also don't know precisely where Tywin's forces are situated between here and the Twins where Robb is at the moment."
"So we have to sneak by a giant army which would use the three of you as hostages," Gendry reasoned as he bit into an apple. "Sounds easy enough."
"Exactly," Arya added. "We just go up the Trident."
The blacksmith rolled his eyes, "That's completely wrong, Lannister forces would find us for sure."
"No, if they have a big army and started this fighting to get my mother to let Tyrion go then they would be closer to the Vale," She rebutted. "Which leaves the river mostly clear, duh."
"No, obviously they are already there if they want to stop your brother from crossing the Twins."
"But they can't-"
"Wait, Arya," Both adolescents paused their bickering at Jon's words. "He's right that soldiers will be on the King's Road around here if they want to head Robb off at the Twins." He raised his hand before the boy could make any sound of victory. "However, with the siege and the fact Tyrion is still somewhere in the Vale, Arya is correct. The fastest way is up the Trident."
"But the soldiers will most likely be watching the banks of the river closely, it's unsafe to travel that way," Gendry pointed out.
"No Jon and Arya are right," The three glanced at the tan hand gesturing to the map on the ground. "We literally go up the Trident." She traced her finger from the small blue line of the Red Fork river, up through the Trident, and continued tracing the Green Fork river up until her finger landed on the Twins. She smirked as the young boy deflated at the soundness of the idea.
With their small discussion finished the group quickly packed the rest of their supplies and readied themselves for the journey to the waterfront. Traveling off the roads and without horses slowed their pace, but they made good time and by the time the sun was near the middle of the sky the Starks and Gendry had already made it to the Crossroads Inn where the royal procession had stopped over two months ago. Arya frowned at the thought when she caught sight of the riverbank where Joffrey attacked her and her friend Mycah. The small party of four calmly stepped into the inn and set themselves at a small table in the corner of the main room. A blonde woman wandered over to the table, but Jon simply waved her off before she could ask if they wanted food or refreshment.
Gendry eyed the other people in the room: an old couple quietly eating by the window, a few men drinking mead and laughing at their own jokes and stories, and a small man dressed in dark colors drinking by himself in the other corner of the room who was scanning the room himself.
"So," The boy leaned closer to the table as he whispered. "Where are we commandeering a boat to get us up the river?"
"Well, that answer may come quicker t than we thought," Myria muttered as she observed the small man gaze at her bosom rather obviously before rising from his chair and striding over toward their table. The males at the table tensed as the man approached and Arya furrowed her brows at the strange person coming up to them. The Stark woman retained an impassive face as the man stopped in front of her.
"You folks look like you're trying to get somewhere quick," She pursed her lips at the foul stench which flowed from the man's mouth, nearly gagging at the mix of alcohol and garlic remaining from his meal. "Traveling anywhere specific?"
"Yes actually," The purple-eyed woman fluttered her lashes. "We have family in Seagard. My cousin's farm was destroyed by a giant brute. Swept through and burned it to the ground, we were lucky to escape with his siblings unharmed."
"Ah," The man leaned back on his heels. "Sounds like the Mountain and his men. He's been stirring up trouble for many here in the Riverlands, loyal and traitor alike."
"Aye, he has," Jon muttered.
"Well, hope you enjoy the travel up the King's Road. Be careful of the Northern savages," Arya clenched her teeth at the man's words, but a quick jab to her ribs from Gendry stopped her from speaking up. "Heard they passed the Twins finally, I have to go investigate: Tywin Lannister's orders."
Jon froze at his words, but Myria subtly placed her hand on the stranger's arm, "Well, I'm glad to hear such brave men are protecting us common folk from the rebels." The Stark grimaced as the Lannister man's chest puffed at his wife's touch. "Are you a knight good Ser?"
The man blushed, "Oh no, just a scout for my Lord."
She gave a fake giggle at his embarrassment, "That might be even more important than a knight since you are the one sneaking through enemy territory."
"Oh well...I suppose," He eyed Jon and Gendry before he placed his hand on the small shoulder of the black-haired woman. "Hopefully I can sober myself up in time to properly do my job."
"I'm sure you will do fantastically, but my family and I won't hold you up from your important task any longer." The man frowned a little at her words, but slowly shuffled away from the four and back to his corner to finish his horn of mead.
Once the scout was out of hearing range Jon glared at his retreating form, "Why did you let him lay his hands on you?"
"Simple, drunk men have loose lips. Drunk men trying to impress a pretty face are even looser. Now we have a perfect guide straight to our family."
Gendry had to hand it to his friend, she knew how to get what she wanted out of people.