Part Thirteen

Arya doesn't mean to lose track of time but it's remarkably easy when each day is the same. The guards constantly move the small folk in and out of cells and she knows that some of them have been executed. She hears rumors that the Dragon Queen has come to Westeros and she is at Dragonstone. She also hears that Casterly Rock is no longer part of the Lannister armies. She hears that there are prisoners are the Martell family of Dorne in the cells but she never sees them. Arya does hear a woman wailing though and someone says that they saw Cersei visiting someone. The idea that Cersei might come down to personally execute someone turns her stomach and makes her worry that her or Gendry could next.

Their wounds finally take the time to heal and the guards return to give them more. Anytime she thinks Gendry might finally be free of bruises they see fit to beat him over and over again. He heals slower each and every time they throw punches and they aren't given enough food or water to compensate. She doesn't think that Cersei would allow Gendry to slowly die by being beaten to death but Arya doesn't trust these guards to pull their punches. They could kill him without meaning to and it hurts more than the bruises they are inflicting on her body.

It takes a little time but Gendry eventually confesses that he spoke to Cersei in a way that could hurt them sometime in the future. She doesn't blame him for losing his temper but it makes her worry all the same. Arya feels helpless and she doesn't like that feeling. As time goes on she knows that the North must know about her. If Jon comes for her, if they send her back, Gendry will die and there wouldn't be anything she could do about it. She needed to save him before being ransomed back to the North. Gendry is asleep when she walks over and beckons one of the guards. The thing she needs to do is already turning her stomach but there isn't anything Arya Stark wouldn't do for family.

"Tell the Queen I need to speak to her," she said.

"And what makes you think the Queen will want to speak to you?" the guard asked with a laugh.

"Just tell her Arya Stark needs to have a word with her and it's important." The guard narrowed his eyes but she watched him pass along the message. Arya settled down next to Gendry and waited to see if this part of her plan would work.

It took a full day before the guards came and stood in front of her.

"Stand up. The Queen has granted your request," the guard said. Gendry, who was awake, looked at her.

"What did you do?" he asked softly.

"I need to speak to her," Arya said as she pushed herself to her feet. Gendry went to stand as well but she shook her head. "Just me. I'll be safe, I promise." Gendry didn't look like he believed her but didn't call her out on the lie. Instead, he settled back against the wall of their cell and said nothing as the guards let her out.

Arya was surprised when she was lead not to the throne but what appeared to be Cersei's solar. The guards went to kick her knees but Arya willingly dropped down to one knee when she saw Cersei. Cersei, who was drinking wine, looked a little amused by this and sat down at a table.

"You told my guards you wanted to see me," she said.

"Yes, Your Grace, I would like to see if we can come to some sort of arrangement that would benefit both of us," Arya said. She stayed on one knee and she kept her eyes on the ground.

"Well if we're going to talk like civilized women then we'll talk like civilized women. Stand up," Cersei ordered. One of the guards took Arya by the arm and none too gently put her in one of the chairs across from Cersei. Arya knew she was covered in blood and grime but she did her best to keep her back straight and her chin high. This was a moment to channel her parents and everything she learned about being a lady as a child. "Now, tell me what you want to talk about and please do not attempt anything in this room. We wouldn't want anything to happen to that husband of yours in the cells."

"My husband is the reason I'm here," Arya said as she took a deep breath and released it slowly. "I'm here to beg for his life."

"Beg?" Cersei said with an amused laugh. "I didn't know Starks had it in them to beg."

"He's my family and I would do anything for him," Arya replied without hesitation. "Your Grace, Gendry and I have no desire to be part of politics. We just want to be together and be happy. We and specifically he is of no threat to your rule. If you allow him to come North with me you'll never see or hear from either of us ever again."

"Your brother is the King. He could very easily legitimize the bastard and give him a claim to the throne. Why would I allow that to happen?" Cersei asked.

"We don't want it. I don't want to be a Lady of a great house let alone any sort of Queen. We want to live together and be happy. We want a simple life and that's all."

"You hate me, don't you little wolf," Cersei said after a moment of silence. Arya wasn't sure what she was supposed to do with a statement like that and she clenched her fists in her lap. Answering that question seemed like a trap but Arya needed to prove a point.

"Yes, Your Grace, I really do. I've wanted bloody revenge on you since the moment you stood by and let them take my father's head," Arya replied.

"And should I grant this request of yours you know you wouldn't be able to get that revenge. You'd be banished to the North for the rest of your days," Cersei was looking at her oddly. "You're willing to give up your quest for revenge for your husband? A bastard blacksmith who doesn't even have a name?"

"Yes, I'm willing to give it up for him," Arya stated and even saying those words hurt. The thought of Cersei living set her teeth on edge but this wasn't the time to think about revenge. When she said her oaths before the tree with Gendry her life was no longer just about her. She had to think about him as well and if giving up her list for good kept him alive she would do it. She would give it up in a heartbeat. Cersei stood up and walked across the room.

"You seem to think the only reason I want that bastard dead is because he's a threat to my reign," Cersei said after a moment. "And that is true, he is a threat, and no doubt there are houses in the Stormlands that would declare for him in a heartbeat even if he wasn't legitimized. If I kill him then I lose that threat but that isn't the only way his death could be useful to me."

"What?" Arya whispered. She thought this was all about the throne and she hadn't counted on Cersei thinking Gendry being dead was useful in more than one way.

"Why of course. I can't imagine an easier way to put down dissent among those lesser houses than executing the last living member of House Baratheon. That will show them that I am willing to wipe an entire house out then they should be worried about what I would do to them." Cersei smiled and looked at Arya. "I heard that a maid was going around and saying there are more bastards out there. It would be quite a strong message to line them all up, a bunch of Robert's children, and kill them all publicly. That would make the nobles understand that I am not to be trifled with.

"Then there is the matter of the Dragon Queen," Cersei continued. "She is going to come for my throne someday soon and I can only imagine how much she hates Robert and House Baratheon for what he did to her and her family. If I needed to bargain for my own life I imagine offering up the last of House Baratheon to her dragons would be a good way to get her to spare me."

"You can't do this," Arya said her hands shaking with rage she didn't even know she possessed but Cersei didn't seem to care.

"So I won't be sparing your little bastard husband, Arya Stark, and considering how long it has been since I sent the ravens to your family letting them know you're alive you should probably say goodbye to him now," Cersei set the glass of wine down on the table and smiled. "Though I must thank you, Lady Arya, for giving me the opportunity to see a Stark beg for the life of another. It's something I didn't think I'd get to see after your sister begged for your father's life."

The world seemed to tilt on its side for a moment as Arya realized that there was nothing she could do. In her own head, she screamed that she should fight, right now, break that cup and slit Cersei's throat with it but Arya also knew she'd just end up hurt like that. She offered to give up her list and it wasn't enough. She didn't remember the walk back to the cells but when she looked up and saw Gendry waited for her she wanted to cry. Arya Stark didn't let herself cry often but she wanted to, more than anything, at this moment. The door slammed behind her and Gendry was in front of her. He was asking what was wrong and what he could do to help. He asked if she was hurt.

Instead, Arya threw her arms around him and held on like he was a lifeline. Gendry held her back and didn't ask what she talked about with Cersei. The crushing weight of their reality came down on her and for the first time in a long time, Arya let herself cry. She cried for her father who died in this very city. She cried for the mother and brother who were slaughtered miles from home. She cried for her little brothers who were dead and dust in the North. She cried for Sansa and the fact that she would never learn whether or not they could be good for each other. She cried for Jon and her favorite brother who now wore a crown on his head. She cried for the weight that must carry as he grappled with how he could set her free without costing the North everything. She cried for all of Gendry's half-siblings and how they were slaughtered because a fat, drunk King couldn't remain faithful to his wife. She cried for the entire realm and how they were going to suffer under the reign of Cersei Lannister.

Gendry held her close as she cried long into the night and never once asked her to explain what happened to trigger all of these tears.

The days slid by and the guards continued to struggle to hold the city. They kept getting angrier and angrier that they couldn't seem to get things under control. When the guards got angry they looked for people to take it out on. They would beat the smallfolk and that would make Arya and Gendry lash out. So then the guards would beat them instead. It was a fate that Arya was willing to suffer because the people of King's Landing didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve it either and neither did Gendry but that was beside the point.

It was after a rather vicious beating that Arya wondered what they were going to do next. Gendry was lying on the floor next to her, just as bloody as she was, and staring at the ceiling. Neither of them had said a word in several hours. One of the guards dropped off some food and Arya dragged herself over.

"Come on Gendry, we need to eat something," she said. Gendry winced as he sat up and he practically crawled across the cell to get to the food instead of walking. He looked like he was having a hard time focusing again. "Do you feel nauseous?"

"I'll be fine," Gendry replied as he picked up one of the small cups of water that was left for them. Arya blinked and saw something stuck to the bottom. She snatched the cup away from Gendry and pulled off a small piece of paper. "What is that?" he whispered.

"It's a note of some kind," Arya replied. "It says "Ray" and nothing else. Does that mean anything to you?"

"There is an inn near Flea Bottom called The Ray of Sun," he said with a frown. "But why would someone send us the word "ray" and who could have done it?" Arya didn't have any answers to that and she hit the piece of parchment in her boot so no one would find it. Despite how hurt they both were they managed to eat and settle against the wall of their cell together. She thought that since they had just hurt her they would leave her alone and a guard and Jaime Lannister walked up.

"What happened to them?" Jaime asked.

"They took issue with how we were treating the other prisoners we took issue with their attitudes," of the guards said.

"The Queen needs to speak to them and she asked for me to escort them personally. Bind their hands," Jaime said. Arya narrowed her eyes as the guards walked into the room and bound her hands with tight rope. Gendry, however, didn't seem much aware of anything. He was in pain and then they pulled him to his feet he winced. The guards tied them together so Jaime could move them with his one hand. He began to roughly pull them through the Red Keep but Arya noticed that they weren't going toward the throne room or Cersei's solar.

"Where are you taking us?" she asked.

"A long time ago I swore an oath to your mother to get her daughters home in exchange for my own life," Jaime said lowly. "I still believe in keeping my oaths." He jerked them around to a dark corner and pulled out a knife. Arya was struck dumb as Jaime Lannister cut the ropes from both of their wrists and reached into the nearby shadows.

"You're helping us," Gendry said like he didn't quite believe it.

"The best I can," Jaime replied. He pulled out a bundle that contained all of their weapons and two dark cloaks. Arya felt her heart sing as soon as she had Needle as her waist again and she couldn't believe how much better she felt when she was armed. Gendry strapped his hammer to his back despite how much it looked like it hurt and the sword around his waist. Jaime handed Arya some money and gestured for them to follow him. "I can get you out of the Keep but the city is too dangerous right now. The riots mean it's hard to get in and out or anywhere for that matter. You need to get out as fast as possible though; once my sister realizes you're done she's going to tear the city apart to find you."

"Give me one reason I should believe a word you're saying," Arya said with a hand on her sword. Jaime looked down at her going for her weapon and he didn't seem that worried. Arya knew she was hurt and even with one hand, there was a good chance that Jaime could beat her in a fight.

"You told Cersei you didn't want anything to do with Southern politics or the Iron Throne, did you mean that?" he asked.

"Yes," Arya replied without hesitation. "We just want to get North back to my family so we can be safe and live our livers."

"I don't want the throne," Gendry said.

"Then you don't need to die," Jaime replied like it was that easy. They moved to the lowest levels of the keep which Arya remembered exploring as a child. As they got closer to the city she could hear the riots and it was going to be difficult to keep their heads down. "If you get caught in the riots there is nothing I can do for you. You'll be arrested just like everyone else and end up right where you started."

"Won't the guards tell your sister that you let us go?" Arya asked and Jaime frowned.

"No one gave the order to kill the smallfolk in the Black Cells, they did that themselves, and sometimes accidents happen to men like that," Jaime said. He stopped and pointed to the end of a long tunnel. "Keep going this way until you get to the city. From there you'll need to find your own way."

"I'm not going to thank you," Arya said after a moment of silence and Jaime frowned deeply.

"I don't want it anyway now get out of here. I did as much of my duty to your late mother as I could." Jaime turned and walked away from them. Arya watched him go and waited a moment to see if more guards were going to come and take them. A staged escape didn't make a lot of sense and if this wasn't real they wouldn't have given them weapons to fight back with. She glanced at Gendry who just shrugged.

"If it's a trap then I'm just going to die sooner than planned. We have nothing to lose," he said. Arya nodded and they both took off down the dark tunnel. They emerged beneath the Red Keep and Arya could see a group of people rioting. The city seemed more alive in the middle of the night than it had the last time she was here. Gendry took her hand and began to lead her through the winding streets. He took her through dark alleys and places that someone shouldn't go if they wanted to hang onto their valuables but fortunately no one approached them.

Gendry paused for half a moment when he got to Flea Bottom but kept his head down and pushed through the crowds. They were moving in the same direction as the crowds and while it was slow going eventually they got to the inn that was on the piece of paper.

"This could be a trap," Arya said when they walked in. "Playing with us like this does seem like something she would do."

"We're here and we have nowhere else to go. We might as well see what happens," Gendry said. He was surprisingly calm about all of this but she could see how tired he was and how much pain he was in. It hadn't dawned on Arya that Gendry could be close to giving up. That the beatings and everything that happened to them in the Black Cells might have crushed the spirit that she loved so much about him. She squeezed his hand and Gendry smiled softly at her. His teeth were a little red from the beating but the cloaks covered most of the blood. He got them a room and had their meals sent up later. Right now she wanted to get away from people.

The room was small but the bed looked just big enough for both of them and all Arya wanted to do was to sleep on something comfortable again. She stripped off most of her weapons but kept her dagger close. Gendry pulled off his hammer and his sword and collapsed onto the bed like he couldn't walk another step. If he was this exhausted there was no chance he could walk out of the Red Keep fast enough to get them safely away. They would need horses or some other way out of the city.

A serving girl brought them two bowls of brown and two large glasses of ale. Gendry had told her about bowls of brown before and considering the state of the city she didn't want to think about what they were likely eating. It tasted fine and before long the food was gone and they were both tired. They were both covered in weeks worth of blood and dirt and that needed to be taken care of. They wouldn't make it far if they looked like two escaped prisoners. Gendry was half asleep on the bed but Arya went downstairs. There weren't any baths but the serving girl gave her a large bucket of water and some rags which were better than nothing. Gendry jumped when she opened the door but settled when he saw it was her.

"Come on, we don't have a bath but the least we can do is get some of this blood off of us," Arya said.

"I keep waiting for them to burst in," Gendry said as he sat down on the floor near the bucket. "I keep waiting to wake up and we'll be back in that cell. Why would he help us like that?"

"Maybe he still has some honor," Arya replied. "Now hold still so I can get some of this blood off of your face." For the next hour or so they did their best to try and wash as much of the blood and dirt as they could. There was nothing they could do about their clothes but they were dark enough that no one would notice unless they looked closely. The rest of their belongings were gone and Arya couldn't stand the thought of sleeping in her clothes again. Despite that it probably wasn't wise she insisted they both sleep naked.

It also let them explore the full extent of their injuries. Arya wasn't surprised to see that the bruises on Gendry's body were significantly darker than her own. Of course, they pulled their punches with the woman. As Arya ran her fingers along the near-black bruises along Gendry's torso she knew he wouldn't be able to run. He was far too hurt so running was not an option. There was a good chance he wouldn't be able to ride a horse either.

"Whatever you're thinking about we can deal with it in the morning," Gendry said as he wrapped his arms around her. They hadn't touched each other in weeks but they were both too tired and too injured to anything other than sleep. They were out of the Black Cells but now they needed to find a way out of King's Landing before the Queen got her hands on them again.