AN: I'm writing like mad over here! Enjoy!
"Lords and Ladies, honored guests, all who have come to share in our joy, I thank you. It is a joyful day, indeed," Sansa proclaimed, standing by her brother's side at the head table. She cleared her throat.
"Yes," Jon said. "For today, our sister Arya has returned to us…"
The guests shouted in happiness.
"…returned to us with her husband, Ser Gendry of House Barratheon." Arya and Gendry stood on the other side of Jon. Gendry bowed and Arya curtsied as a murmur spread through a crowd shocked to learn that a Baratheon lived and, moreover, was Lady Arya's husband. The sound grew and grew until Lord Manderly called out, "We're supposed to believe this beauty is the same girl who ran round the keep in breeches?"
"That's Arya Horse-Face to you," Arya proclaimed, causing a roar of laughter in all in the crowd who remembered her nickname in those days. She tried to think of another way to show them she truly was Arya of Winterfell, then loaded a spoon with food and aimed it as though she would fling food at Lord Manderly and any others with the misfortune to be seated near him.
"ARYA, don't you dare!" Sansa exclaimed.
Arya turned the spoon toward her sister who shrieked and tried to block herself with a napkin, adding, "You are a married woman and a lady!"
Gendry grabbed his wife's hand and steered the too-full spoon of food into his mouth. He struggled to chew the huge bite, making everyone laugh while still keeping the peace.
John leaned toward his brother-in-law and murmured with a smile, "You are good for my sister."
During the meal, Gendry and Arya found themselves fielding politely-worded questions about their origins. They answered in the simplest manner possible: Gendry was Robert's illegitimate son who had been hiding from the Lannisters. Arya had also been hiding from the Lannisters—much of the time in Bravos. Sansa was deft at steering away any conversation that pressed the couple further by bringing up the topic in which all Northerners were most interested these days: Daenerys Targaryen and her visit to the North, complete with Greyjoy ships and fighters, khalasars of Dothraki horsemen, Tyrion Lannister, and three dragons.
Arya's eyes sparkled at that. "Are they as big as they say?"
"They're huge," Sansa said. "According to Danerys, when they were born, they were small, like kittens. Now, they couldn't fit in this Great Hall! One is larger that the other two. Queen Daenerys says it is because they were kept locked up, and dragons are meant to be free."
"Have you touched one?" she asked.
"No," Sansa said. "They are fierce and beautiful, but I never wanted to get that close. Jon did, though."
"Really, Jon? What was it like?"
He shrugged and spoke softly. Conversation in the room seemed to fade away as all present strained to hear the King's low, rough voice. "It was Rhaegal, one of the smaller two. He's green as grass, with some bits of bronze and copper and red. He's spiky, and bigger, even, than the mammoths I saw North of the wall. His wings are the color of amber, and when they spread, it blocks out the sun like a great, wide cloud.
"The queen said Rhaegal liked me. He kept sniffing me. She looked a bit nervous and said something to him in the old tongue—sounded like a warning. But he just…" Jon looked a bit embarrassed, but also dazed as he said, "He nuzzled me. His breath was hot, but his scales felt nice under my hand."
"I would love to meet the queen and her dragons," Arya said.
"She'll like you," Jon said.
"Really?" Arya asked.
"Aye. She loves wearing breeches," Jon said.
"Sansa, if Daenerys Targaryen, Mother of Dragons, can wear breeches, then surely I can!"
"We'll discuss it later. Hers are actually quite presentable," Sansa admitted. "Perhaps we can ask her about her garment maker."
"Did you hear that, Gendry?" Arya asked, clasping his hand.
"I did," her husband replied, looking at her fondly.
She sobered. "I don't trust this," she whispered. "When did things last go right for so long?"
He whispered back, "Think back just three days…"
"But that was fine. We're fine!" Her voice rose slightly. "Something has to go wrong. Something always goes wrong!"
"I know how you feel," Sansa said. "Things go wrong for so long that it begins to feel normal. Or like you're cursed. But winter is here. The days grow shorter and shorter. Food will grow more and more scarce."
"The white walkers will come," Jon added.
"There will be time enough for troubles," Sansa said, standing and raising her voice for all to hear. "For now, let us be happy. Today, our sister returned to us! Today we learned that House Baratheon, a house dear to us, is not extinct after all. We have light and warmth and food. We have each other. Cheers!" She exclaimed, raising her glass.
"Cheers!" the guests chanted, and everyone drank with happy proclamations of "Long live House Baratheon!" and "Long Live House Stark!"
AN: As always, i appreciate all of the favorites, follows and reviews!