Part Eighteen
The closer they got to Winterfell the more Arya began to panic. The last time she saw Bran he was still unconscious from his fall from the tower. The last words she spoke to Sansa were not kind and they sort of hated each other when they lived in King's Landing. What if Sansa still hated her? What if Bran hated her? She was spinning in these thoughts as she stared at her home. It wasn't as she remembered. It was still massive but it somehow seemed smaller. It seemed like it wasn't as she remembered. It was burnt and much of the castle looked damaged. As they got closer Arya could see people working to restore it but it still made her uneasy.
If she closed her eyes she could picture her mother and father watching her brothers train together. She could picture Robb smiling down at them like the proud big brother that he was, getting into trouble with Jon and Theon. She could picture chasing Bran and Rickon around the courtyard as they played with swords. She remembered Sansa rolling her eyes at them and her mother shaking her head with a fond little smile. She could picture her father looking over everything and standing tall and proud.
"Arya," Gendry said and she jerked in her saddle. "Are you okay?"
"Yes," she lied. The wolfpack was nearby but Nymeria was following them back into the castle. They both jumped off of their horses and walked them up to the gate.
"Who goes there?" one of the guards asked.
"My name is Arya Stark and I've come home," she said.
"Lady Stark told us to expect you," the guard said and he looked at Gendry with narrowed eyes.
"He's with me," Arya said before they could question them. Nymeria emerged from behind the horses and the guards both jumped. "She won't hurt you unless you try to hurt us." They stepped aside and Arya walked through the gates into Winterfell again. A stable boy came over and took their horses. Gendry pulled both of their bags off of the saddles since Arya was having a hard time focusing. She looked up and for a moment she thought she was seeing a ghost. It wasn't her mother but Sansa looking so much like their late mother with her bright red hair wrapped in a braid. Her older sister stared at her for a moment until she raced down the icy steps without a care in the world.
Arya didn't think she would want to run into Sansa's arms, they weren't close, but once she starts running she can't stop. Her sister is holding her skirts in her hands and shoving her way through people in a very unladylike fashion but she running. They throw their arms around each other and Arya can hear Sansa crying. Sansa smells like Winterfell, like the North, like home and it's too much for Arya's heart to handle.
"I thought you were dead," Sansa whispered. "No one could find you after father and I thought you were dead. I thought you were dead for so long and you're not. You're here and you're alive."
"I'm sorry," Arya whispered into her sister's hair. "I should have come home sooner, I should have-"
"Don't say that," Sansa said as they broke apart. Sansa looked so much like their mother that Arya wanted to burst into tears again. "When we got that raven saying that you were alive and in King's Landing Jon and I didn't know what to think. We didn't know how to check or see if it was some terrible trick. We were coming for you."
"I know but I managed to get myself out," Arya said. People were beginning to crowd around them and Arya realized that there was something that she needed to take care of. She moved away from Sansa and turned around to see Gendry keeping his distance but smiling softly at her. She beckoned him over and Sansa stood up straighter as he approached. There were still tears in her eyes but Arya could see Sansa become Lady Stark in front of her eyes. "Sansa, what did Jon tell you?"
"You don't need to explain right here," Sansa said. "We should go see Bran and we can have all the explanations we need." Ghost emerged from the castle and immediately began to play with Nymeria. The two wolves began to chase each other around and Arya couldn't contain her laughter. "You found her."
"She found us," Arya corrected. "Where is Bran?"
"In the Godswood. We'll speak there."
"Lady Sansa-" a man in black with greying hair said. Arya recognized his face but couldn't place his name.
"I will meet with my family alone," Sansa said. She gestured for Arya and Gendry to follow and they made their way to the Godswood. Arya could feel prying eyes on them and there were some things that needed to be explained without someone watching. She knelt down in front of Nymeria and scratched behind her ear.
"Do you think you and Ghost can watch the entrance for us? Make sure no one bothers us?" Arya asked. Nymeria huffed but her and Ghost sat down at the entrance to the Godswood and appeared to be guarding it against anyone following them. They walked to the tree at the center and Arya stumbled. Bran was not a little boy with floppy hair anymore; he looked like a young man. His hair was cut shorter and it made him look older. He sat in an odd-looking chair with wheels and was wrapped in warm furs. The thing that surprised Arya was that he wasn't alone. There was a young woman with his, curly dark hair and wearing furs, with a spear leaning against the three. They both looked up when they approached; the girl smiled but Bran just tilted his head a little.
Arya wasn't sure if she laughed or sobbed but she raced through the snow and threw her arms around her little brother. If he could stand he'd be taller than her now which broke her heart a little. Bran felt too thin put he puts his arms around her and hugged her nevertheless.
"Arya, I'm so glad you and Gendry made it safe," he said as she pulled away.
"Did Jon tell you his name?" she asked.
"Bran is special," the girl said. "He has visions now." She stood up and walked over to offer Arya a hand. "My name is Meera of House Reed. I traveled with Bran to help him understand these powers of his."
"It seems we all have a lot to talk about," Sansa said. "But I think a formal introduction of the young man you travel with is the first piece of business."
"Right, of course," Arya said a little thrown by the fact that her brother apparently had visions now. "Bran, Sansa, Meera, I want you to meet Gendry Waters." She took his hand into hers and held on tight. "He's my husband."
"I must confess of the many explanations that is not the one I was expecting from my wild little sister," Sansa said but she didn't look angry. Arya was reminded of Gendry telling her about how they wouldn't believe Cersei if she told them that she was married.
"Milord, miladies," Gendry said with a bow of his head.
"A man with manners married my little sister," Sansa said and now she was smiling. "I must hear how you both met."
"It's not a short story," Arya said as they all settled beneath the tree.
"None of our stories are short but they are important," Bran said. "And we have time."
The sun was setting by the time all of them had finished their stories. Arya knew some of Sansa's already and didn't press for many details about her time with the Bolton's. Bran's story blew her mind a little and she had no idea what to do with the knowledge that her brother was not quite her brother anymore. It made her a little sad to look at him because she could tell that something was missing. Arya didn't miss the way Sansa smiled when she and Gendry detailed their story and how they got together. Her sister was always a romantic at heart and apparently, there wasn't anything more romantic than their story.
"You'll be safer here," Sansa said. "But unfortunately there is one person who would likely know who Gendry's father is by looking at him. Lord Petyr Baelish is currently the Lord Protector of the Vale. He knows a little bit of everything and it wouldn't surprise me if he was able to recognize a Baratheon. He used to be Robert Master of Coin."
"Littlefinger," Arya said. "I knew I recognized him. What do we do?"
"I'm attempting to take care of Lord Baelish," Sansa said with a growl in her voice. Arya always thought her sister wasn't much of a wolf but at that moment Arya could see the North in her beautiful sister. "Afterall he is the one who sold me to the Bolton's and for that alone I hate him. Bran has told me that he has done many things and has been using his powers to try and see if he could get some evidence. If I can present evidence of treason to the Knights of the Vale they will turn on him."
"I will get you what you need quickly," Bran said. "For now I think it would be best if you kept away from Lord Baelish, Gendry."
"After everything we've been through, I'd really just like a warm place to sleep for several days if possible," he said.
"Of course. Arya, I've had your old room made up already. I'll have someone send up some dinner and a warm bath for both of you," Sansa said as she stood up and brushed off the snow from her dress.
"Meera," Bran said. "I think it would be best if you and Gendry stayed close until our enemies within these walls are taken care of." Gendry looked like he was able to argue against that but Arya cut him off.
"I think that would be a good idea," Arya said. "We need to keep him safe from Lord Baelish and whichever Northern lord is going to get mad that I'm married to someone they think isn't worthy."
"I agree that it would be best if the two of you stayed together when you leave Arya's chambers," Sansa said. Gendry looked a little bewildered like he didn't quite understand what was happening and why three Stark's were ganging up against him. Meera, however, looked a little amused by how lost Gendry seemed.
"I'd be honored. I can show you how to make a good spear," Meera said.
"I know how to make a spear," Gendry said with a frown as they began to make their way through the Godswood. Arya pushed Bran's wheelchair as Sansa walked beside them. Meera and Gendry were a few steps behind them and Arya glanced over her shoulder as she watched Meera smirk.
"I don't know how a Southerner could possibly know how to make a spear better than someone born in the Neck," Meera replied. Arya knew this conversation was about to devolve into weapons talk, one of Gendry's favorite topics, so she tuned it out a little. She took in the warmth from her sister walking next to her and Bran as he reached over his shoulder and placed his hand on hers. She was home, she was finally home, and despite the fact that there were terrible things on the way Arya felt like she could conquer all of Westeros right now.
Gendry pulled up his hood as they exited the Godswood to try and keep who he was a secret from Lord Baelish and it took all of Arya's self-control not to attack the man. He was lurking near the entrance of the Godswood, clearly waiting for him them, and if Arya hadn't asked Nymeria and Ghost to keep people out she was sure he would have listened in to everything that they just said. He approached them as soon as they were passed the wolves and when he smiled at Sansa it made Arya's skin crawl.
"Lady Stark, I was about to send someone into the Godswood to make sure that you were safe," he said. If it was anyone else Arya would have thought he had good intentions but she didn't believe him. She would never trust someone who sold her sister to the Bolton's.
"We haven't seen each other in many years, Lord Baelish," Sansa said. "We had a lot to talk about."
"Of course," Littlefinger said.
"Arya, I'll send food, a maester, and a warm bath up to your room," Sansa said. It was already agreed that Gendry would be staying in Arya's room but that didn't mean Littlefinger needed to know that part of her life. Arya nodded, kissed her little brother on the cheek and hugged Sansa, and nodded to Gendry so he could follow him. She could feel Littlefinger watching the two of them and she had no doubt that he would bring it up to Sansa as soon as she was out of earshot but Arya didn't care. Right now there was a warm castle with a warm room waiting for her and she was going to take advantage of it.
"He's watching us," Gendry said as they walked into the castle. "Arya, everyone is watching us."
"Of course they are," she said. As soon as they were inside she took his hand and began to guide him through the hallways to her old room. She had a feeling she knew where this conversation was going. Jon had accepted them and it seemed that Sansa and Bran had as well but it was going to be very different with the Northern Lords and something they were going to have to deal with. Arya hated that people made Gendry think he wasn't good enough for her because he was in all of the ways that count.
"Maybe I should sleep somewhere else," Gendry said as she pulled him into her old room. There was a fire burning in the hearth and the room was already toasty warm. There was a little dust in corners but all of it still look so similar to when she was a child. This was her room and while it made her feel like she was home it also forced Arya to remember what she had lost.
"We finally have a warm room with a featherbed and you want to sleep somewhere else?" Arya asked.
"I don't want to do anything it's just-" Gendry cut himself off as he put their bags in a corner. "Your brother is King of the North, you're a princess, and people are going to expect things from you when you're a princess. One of those things is not marrying no named bastards."
"Do you want to end our marriage?" Arya said with a flat voice and she watched as Gendry jerked like he'd been physically hit.
"No, of course not, but-"
"We are safe as we can right now. So let's sleep and heal before we can concern ourselves with what other people think of us," Arya said. There was a knock at the door and a man walked in that Arya didn't recognize. He was older and looked like he was about to fall over but he smiled warmly at both of them.
"Lady Stark sent me here and said that the two of you had injuries that needed to be looked at," he said. Arya begrudgingly let the maester look at her wounds and she hovered when he looked at Gendry's. He confirmed some cracked ribs for her but when he got to Gendry he informed him that Gendry was lucky one of his broken ribs hadn't pierced his lung and killed him. He told Gendry that he had to rest and give himself some time to heal or he was going to kill himself. The maester gave Arya some bandages that they could wrap around Gendry's torso to make it easier for him to move and breathe. He left them just as a maid brought up some food for them to eat. It was thick stew that tasted like home and warmed Arya down to her bones.
As they were eating two maids brought up a large tub and began to fill it with water that was hot enough that Arya could see the steam coming off. She knew that the maid was giving them both strange looks, a man in a lady's room like this, but wisely didn' say anything. They were just finishing their food when the tub was full and they were left alone.
"I don't think I've ever had a warm bath," Gendry said as he looked at the tub with wide eyes. Arya smiled as she began to strip off her layers.
"I'll show you the hot springs beneath the castle soon," she said. Gendry looked up and froze as he watched her undress. When she was younger Arya didn't think she was pretty. She always compared herself to Sansa and no matter what anyone told her she never thought she'd be considered a great beauty. Now that she was older Arya still wasn't sure if she was a great beauty but she never felt more beautiful than when Gendry was looking at her with lust in his bright blue eyes. "This tub is big enough for two and if you wait the water won't be warm anymore."
Gendry blinked once and began to pull off his borrowed clothing. Sansa already said that she was going to work on getting them both some weather-appropriate clothing and that it would be ready in a day or two. Arya was fine spending the next day or two in bed sleeping and relaxing. She climbed into the warm water just as Gendry shed his last piece of clothing. The water got dangerously close to spilling over, the maids clearly didn't think they were going to share, but didn't make a mess.
"Okay, I think I understand why you high borns make such a big deal out of a warm bath," Gendry said as he settled into the water. Arya laughed to herself and despite the close proximity to his very naked body, she focused on getting clean. The two of them worked together to scrub all of the dried blood and dirt from their skin. Arya didn't like to get scrubbed pink as a child but right now it felt like heaven. Gendry helped her comb through her hair and wash it clean. The water was getting cooler but they were both cleaner than they'd been in months.
Arya leaned back against Gendry's chest and closed her eyes as she enjoyed feeling him warm and safe behind her and the water. Gendry wrapped his arms around her and held her loosely as they both relaxed for the first time in a long time. Arya shifted against him and could feel him half-hard against the small of her back. She could feel Gendry groan against her and he began to press wet kisses along her neck. Gendry shifted his hand down her stomach and slipped between her legs. Arya couldn't remember the last time they got the chance to be together and while she was very mindful of his injuries still she wanted him more than anything.
Arya turned so she was facing him and in Gendry's lap. She leaned forward and kissed him with everything that she had. Gendry pulled her close as he slipped his tongue into her mouth so there wasn't a place where they weren't touching. One of his hands was in her hair but the other was slipping inside and driving Arya out of her mind. She gently bit down on Gendry's lower lip and loved the way he moaned.
"The maester said no strenuous activity for me, Lady Arya," Gendry said against her lips.
"I wasn't planning on letting you do a lot of the work," Arya replied as she kissed along his jawline. She took him into her hand, pumped him twice, and moved him between her legs. "You keep touching me and I'll do the hard work." The water made everything feel that much hotter as she slowly sat down until he was inside of her. Gendry seemed to be making a great effort to stay quiet, probably to make sure no one heard and thought they were doing exactly what they were doing, but Arya didn't care. She moaned as she began to roll her hips in a slow but passionate pace. Neither of them were up for anything hard or fast right now, there was time for that when they were both healed, but right now Arya needed a reminder that this was her husband and what it felt like to be with him.
Arya kissed Gendry as he moved a hand between her legs again and touched her in the place that made her see stars. The water from the bath was beginning to splash over the edges and onto the floor but Arya didn't care. They were both chasing release at this point and Gendry managed to twist his hips in a way that pushed Arya over the edge. She cried out, uncaring who might hear, and she dug her fingernails into the meat of Gendry's shoulders. She rolled moved three more times and captured Gendry's moan with a kiss knowing that he would have bitten his own tongue than make any noise that someone else could hear.
They stayed in the water for a little while longer exchanging lazy kisses until they both stopped trembling and were breathing normally. The water was cold by the time they got out of the tub and began to get dressed. They had just finished putting on sleep clothes when the maids knocked and removed the tub. Arya hoped that Gendry didn't notice how red their cheeks were because that probably meant that they heard. By the time the sun rose the next morning the entire castle would know and there wasn't anything she could do about it. Nymera bullied her way into the room just as the maids were leaving and happily settled on the floor next to the hearth.
Arya chose not to tell Gendry that because he would have spent the entire night worrying about it. Instead, Arya locked her door once the maids removed the sub and cleaned up the spilled water. If someone was going to complain Arya hoped they could go to Bran or Sansa and not straight to her. She wrapped Gendry's ribs and let him wrap his arms around her as they settled in for the night. Arya breathed deep and tried to slow her racing heart. She was home, her sister and brother seemed to accept who she was but her new family as well, and she was as safe as she could be. For the next two days Arya planned on lying in this featherbed and catching up on all the sleep she'd miss from the moment Griffin shoved them both into a cage all of those months ago.