Part Twenty-Eight
As soon as Bran said that Gendry was missing and the Red Woman had him Arya was on her feet and running through the castle. She didn't care that she was barely dressed and that people were staring at her. She needed to know if he was right and she needed to know right away. Arya banged on Jon's door until he opened it. He looked a little annoyed but he must have seen something in her face that made him realize that something was very wrong.
"Gendry never came back to the room last night and Bran says the Red Woman has him. We need to find him," she said.
"I'll start a search," Jon replied. Arya ran back to her room and changed as fast as she could. While they had been at Winterfell for some time now that didn't mean Gendry hadn't found some places to go hide. There was a chance that he was somewhere else and Bran was wrong. She tried not to think about the way he hadn't been wrong yet or that Bran looked like he could hardly breathe when he told her what was wrong.
Melisandre, that was what Jon said her name was, and he also told her that he and Davos told her she would be tried and killed if she ever came north again. That could only mean that she got in and out of the castle without being seen somehow. It also meant that she managed to find a way to get passed the guards and hide the footprints in the snow.
She couldn't think of him being gone yet. Arya needed proof that he wasn't in Winterfell before she got caught up thinking about how Melisandre got her hands on him. While Gendry wasn't insanely close to Beric and Thoros he did seem to be fond of the Brotherhood. She tied her weapons around her waist and looked at the ring that was sitting on the table next to her bed. It was steel but it still seemed to catch the morning light. Arya chewed on her lower lip and walked out of the room without picking up her ring.
She found Beric, Thoros, Anguy, and a handful of other Brotherhood members breaking their fast and already halfway to drunk even though the sun was barely up.
"Your Highness," Beric said with a nod. He seemed to be the only one of the group that wasn't drinking. Arya didn't know how to ask this question without revealing the fight but her pride wasn't the thing that mattered right now.
"Gendry and I got into a fight last night," she blurted and they all nodded like they knew what she was talking about. One of these days she was going to teach everyone to mind their business but right now was not that time. "He never came back to the room, did he stay with any of you?"
"The lad is missing?" Thoros asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Bran says that Melisandre, the Red Woman, has him but I need to make sure he isn't here before I go believing my brother," Arya replied and the way that Thoros suddenly looked worried did not make Arya feel any better. "What is it?"
"Two of our men are missing this morning as well," Thoros said. "They were strong believers in the Lord of Light and were quite taken with that woman when she tried to buy the boy all of those years ago. I can't imagine them not being here and your brother saying that she's resurfaced is a coincidence."
"We'll help you look," Anguy said as he pushed himself to his feet. "I always liked the kid and no one can make me better arrowheads than him." The various Brotherhood members all nodded and stood up but Arya wasn't really paying attention to them anymore. She raced through the castle and up to Podrick's room where he was still recovering. He nearly jumped when she threw the door open and stared at her like she'd lost her mind.
"Your Highness? Is something wrong?" he asked.
"Was Gendry up here to visit you at all last night or this morning?" Arya asked.
"No, I just saw the Lady Brienne, the maester, and now you. Is something wrong?" Podrick replied. Arya didn't bother to answer him as she ran out of the room and went to find Tormund. Tormund seemed to find Gendry amusing when they were making their way through the Riverlands but he was asleep and alone by the time she found him. Arya didn't bother to try and wake him up as she continued around the castle. More people were looking now, she could tell, but no one was telling her to stop. No one was saying that they found him and everything was okay.
It was nearly lunch when Arya had to come to terms with the fact that he wasn't here, Gendry was missing, which could only mean that Bran was right. Melisandre had him and there was no telling what she was going to do to him. It felt like someone punched her in the stomach and as she sat down at a table in Sansa's solar she felt like she couldn't catch a breath.
"He's not here," Arya said.
"No, it appears that he isn't," Sansa replied. "That means we have some sort of weakness in our defenses that needs to be looked at but I suppose this works out for you in some ways." Sansa was looking out the window as she frowned deeply. "You wanted him gone and you wanted your marriage ending. If the Red Woman kills them then that's a way of that happening."
"How can you say that?" Arya asked because this didn't sound like her sweet sister at all. This sounded like a stranger and when Sansa turned and glared Arya swore she was looking at a lady more fit for King's Landing than the north.
"How is this any different from the situation I posed to you yesterday? I told you that someone could try to kill him and that you would have to face that. The gods seem to have a sense of humor because they are forcing you to come to terms with it now," Sansa narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. "So what are you going to do, sister of mine? Should I call off the people that are looking for him?" Arya didn't know what to say because Sansa was right. Her finger felt empty without the ring and she knew that it was going to hurt when he was gone. Gendry didn't deserve to die and she hoped that she could convince him to stay in Winterfell despite them separating. Davos told her what Melisandre did to people with king's blood and Arya remembered a nightmare where she was burning him.
"Sansa, I don't want him to die," Arya whispered. "I just don't want to hurt anymore."
"We are facing two wars where we could lose people we care about. The thought of losing you or Jon or Bran makes me feel sick to my stomach and if I could lock you all in a tower to keep you safe I would but I can't. As long as there are people in your life there is the potential for hurt and there is nothing we can do to change that," Sansa said. "Now I will ask you again; am I calling off the guards or not?"
"We're going to find him," Arya said after a moment of silence. "But that doesn't mean I'm changing my mind."
"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Arya." Sansa turned and walked out of the room without another word. Arya wanted to follow but if there was someone who could find Gendry easily it was Nymeria. Her and Ghost hadn't returned to Winterfell yet but she hoped that she could convince the wolf to come home and help.
'Please come home,' she thought. 'Gendry needs your help and I know you care about him as much as I do. Please come home and help me find him.' Arya pushed herself to her feet and raced down the stairs. A guard told her that everyone was heading for the godswood to talk to Bran since he was the most likely to figure out where Gendry was being held. There was a group waiting that included Brienne, the Brotherhood, Sandor, Jon, Davos, even Jorah Mormont was there even though the last thing Arya wanted was a man that knew Robert Baratheon and loyal to Daenerys seeing Gendry.
"Is he still alive?" Sansa asked Bran who was sitting with Meera next to the heart tree.
"I believe so," Bran replied. "I couldn't see much though. It was more a nightmare than a vision but it felt so real. There was blood, so much blood, and then fire."
"Aye, that sounds like Melisandre," Davos said bitterly.
"But I couldn't tell you where they were," Bran said.
"The guards confirmed two of my men left just before dawn. They claimed they were going hunting," Beric said as he looked at Jon. "Your Grace, I didn't know they would do something like this. I knew they believed but I didn't foresee this."
"None of us did," Jon said but that wasn't true. Arya knew something like this could happen and she still let him go. She twisted her hands together and tried not to think about fire and blood too much."Even if she had help with two men she couldn't have gone far. The problem is between all of the wars the north has suffered in recent years there are entire abandoned castles and that isn't including small houses and villages. They could be anywhere and we have no way of figuring out which way to go."
"Or how much time he has," Thoros said softly. "She was willing to pay a pretty large sum of coins for that boy years ago. There's no telling how long she'll keep him alive."
"There has to be something we can do," Arya said and everyone looked at her. She could see them trying to figure out what her motivations were considering the fight but Arya ignored it. It wasn't time to focus on her they needed to focus on him. A howl seemed to distract everyone as Nymeria and Ghost raced into the godswood. Arya knelt down so she could look Nymeria in the eye. "Gendry is in danger, can you help us find him?"
"I thought the wolfs were only attached to the Starks," Jorah said which made Arya want to bare her teeth at him.
"Nymeria seems to consider Gendry a pup that needs protecting, Ser Jorah, and you should never get in the way of a she-wolf and those she seems worthy of protection," Arya replied as she looked back at Nymeria. "Lead us to him." Nymeria howled again she began to make her way back to the gate. "If anyone can find him it's her. We should follow her."
"I trust my sister," Jon said. "Let's go." They knew that they were dealing with three people at the most so they didn't need to bring an entire army. That didn't stop Beric, Thoros, and Anguy from insisting they travel. Davos also said that he was coming to stay with Jon and that he needed to get a little revenge on Melisandre. Jorah also insisted on coming even though Arya didn't want him there. If Melisandre brought up king's blood Gendry's secret would be out. She didn't want him burned alive in dragonfire either. They all climbed on horses and began to follow Nymeria into the wilderness of the north. Arya just hoped that she could find him.
Gendry hissed in pain as Meliandre reopened the wound on his wrist for the third time. As far as he could tell he'd been in her possession for about a full day now and when she pulled out that long and ugly looking knife he expected that he wasn't long for this world. Instead, she seemed keen to drag this entire thing out as she reopened a cut on his wrist and would collect his blood. After getting a decent amount on a bowl she would bring it over to a hot fire that was burning in the hearth and speak in a language he didn't understand while flicking the blood into the flames or nearly putting the fire out with it.
"I don't understand why you're doing this," Gendry said and he knew that he was starting to feel the effects of the blood loss. His words were a little slurred and he felt like the hut they were in was tipping to the side like a boat.
"Your blood is powerful," Melisandre said as she collected blood from the wound. She smiled at him and despite how much he wanted to he couldn't look away. "It could be a weapon if used the right way. That is what I was going to use you for the last time. I was going to use your blood to kill the kings."
"The kings?" Gendry asked.
"The false kings Robb Stark, Joffrey Baratheon, and Balon Greyjoy," she replied.
"And they died anyway so if you had gotten ahold of me you would have been able to take credit for something you didn't do," Gendry said and he laughed to himself. "I thought my uncle was supposed to be smart but the fact that he believed any of the bullshit you say makes me think he was an idiot."
"After I used your blood I was going to burn you so Stannis could win the war and be king. Perhaps if I had we wouldn't have Queen Cersei Lannister and all of the blood she has reigned down on Westeros," Melisandre said as she set a bowl of his blood aside and sat down on the edge of the table close enough that he could feel her heat. The poison, whatever it was, was wearing off but even if it wore off now he'd be too weak to fight back at this point.
"Are you implying that all of that death is my fault for running for my life when you tried to buy me like a slave?" Gendry was doing his best not to show his fear but it was hard.
"You know, you could make this easier on yourself if you wanted," Melisandre said and the way she was looking at him looked almost fond. They were alone right now with the two Brotherhood members keeping watch nearby. Gendry could feel the blood dripping from his wrist, down his hand, and off the tip of his fingers.
"And how would I do that? Give up?" he asked.
"Exactly," she said with a shrug. "The Lord of Light appreciates sacrifice little princeling." Melisandre leaned forward and began to touch his face and run her fingers through his hair again. Gendry tried not to wince but he wanted her hands, red with his own blood, off of him. "You give yourself willingly to him and you could save everyone."
"What are you talking about?" he snapped.
"I mean the ones I fight for this time are the living and I am sacrificing you so we may win the fight against the dead," Melisandre said and she ran her thumb along his bottom lip. "You still love her, I know you do, and you could save her. You could save everyone and be the hero you always wanted to be. You could be a man that people talk about for generations to come. The prince that sacrificed his own life to help save the entire realm."
She was close again, too close, and she had one hand in his hair and the other was petting him like he was a dog. Gendry wanted to tell her to get off of him, to go away, that he would never light himself on fire for the sake of a god that he didn't believe in. Melisandre wouldn't look away from him though and the longer she stared the more it felt like she was pulling the words from him. Gendry didn't want to die but as he stared at Melisandre's red eyes he swore that he was going to say "yes" and he was going to willingly let her burn him.
The howl of a wolf seemed to jerk them both back to reality. She blinked and looked up at the door to the hut with a frown. Gendry took a deep breath and tried to get his racing heart under control which was only making him bleed out faster. Could he agree to be burned if he passed out? He honestly wasn't sure.
"It seems that the Stark's are coming for you after all," Melisandre said and her voice made him focus again. They were coming for him? That didn't make any sense. "Perhaps they will see the bigger picture. That sacrificing you for the good of the realm is the right thing to do." She stood up and finally wasn't touching him anymore but she leaned down close enough that Gendry could feel her lips against his ears. "After all, she doesn't want you anymore and there are plenty of bastard smith's out there." Gendry squeezed his eyes shut until he felt her move away from him and heard the door to the hut opening and closing. There was blood running down his arm still and he was tired, so tired, and he decided that keeping his eyes closed was better. Then he wouldn't have to look his fate in the eye.
Arya was trying not to feel conflicted as they followed Nymeria out into the wilderness. The idea that they might be too late was enough to make her sick to her stomach and more than once she thought she was going to be sick. She could feel Jon watching her carefully as Nymeria stopped and howled. They were getting close and Jon called out to her.
"Arya, I need to be the one to approach. Please don't do anything until I tell you to. Will you promise me that?" Jon asked. Arya wanted to argue and tell him that she wouldn't ever do anything that would place Gendry's life at risk but she also wanted to run Melisandre through with her sword. "Arya, she's got powers and we don't know what she did to him. If we kill her we could still lose him so please just listen to me."
"Okay," she said even though she didn't like it. Jon nodded as they took the lead. The woods were thick enough that they could see the two Brotherhood members sitting outside. They were armed and had their swords out. They didn't attack as they approached. Everyone climbed off of their horses and hands were placed on weapons.
"Gentlemen, please put your weapons down," Jon said. Arya had Needle in one hand but she pulled out of the daggers that Gendry made her into her other hand.
"The Lady Melisandre is doing the work of the Lord of Light and cannot be disturbed," one of them said.
"Your lady is about to kill an innocent man and one that I consider family. The last man that betrayed House Stark lost their heads, are you keen to lose yours?"
"Family he says," one of the men said as he looked at Arya. "From what everyone heard that boy isn't a member of House Stark anymore." Arya clenched her hands around her weapons hard enough that she could feel them digging painfully into her skin.
"This is your last chance to surrender," Jon warned. The two men looked at each other and pulled out their swords to attack. Arya threw her dagger and it lodged in the man's neck. Another took an arrow to the eye and hit the ground hard. She could assume that was Anguy since he was one of the few people who could make that shot. The door to the hut opened and Melisandre walked out. She stood amongst the snow in a simple dress as if the cold didn't bother her. Arya felt her heart skip a beat when she saw the blood on her hands.
"King Jon, how lovely to see you again," she said.
"I warned you what would happen if you came north again," Jon said. "Do you have a deathwish?"
"No, I'm merely here as a servant of the realm," Melisandre said with a smile. "That boy's blood is king's blood and with it comes power. It is a weapon and a powerful one that we could use to win the war against the dead. However, if he burns we will save the realm."
"You've argued that sacrificing people will bring power once and it didn't work then," Davos snapped. "Stannis burned his daughter and still lost."
"Jon Snow, you sacrificed everything when you joined the Night's Watch. You know how important it is. You are here because of the will of the Lord of Light as well are you, Lord Beric. You both know he is real and Jon you know more than anyone what we are up against. Westeros will fall to ruin but that boy can help a king rise and another fall." Melisandre folded her hands in front of her and stared at Jon with those eerie-looking eyes of hers. "If that boy is burned with fire then we will survive the Long Night and the fight against the dead. What is the life of one bastard boy against all of Westeros?"
"He is not your lamb to sacrifice," Arya snapped and Melisandre looked at her for the first time.
"No, but he's not yours to protect either. You have quite clearly made that choice," she said as she pointedly looked down at Arya's lack of wedding ring.
"I believe in our Lord," Thoros said. "But I won't be burning any innocents for him."
"Stark's do not sacrifice one man for another," Jon said. "Take her." The men surrounded Melisandre and pulled her away from the hut but Arya didn't care about that. She shoved her way through and pushed the door open. For half a moment she thought he was already dead. He was so pale and there was blood all over the floor. Arya raced over and placed her hand to his neck and could feel a light pulse. He was cold and he'd lost so much blood.
"Gendry, Gendry, can you hear me?" she asked. All she wanted was to see those blue eyes again and know that there was still some life behind them. "Please." Gendry opened his eyes but it looked like he couldn't focus on her. Arya thought she heard her name and he sounded confused but then his eyes closed again and no matter how many times she called his name they wouldn't open. He was alive, for now, but they needed to get him back to Winterfell as soon as possible.