When the three travellers woke in the morning, the sky was overcast. They ate cheese and shared the water, for breakfast. Everyone stood up. Hot Pie grumbled that he was sore all over, but Gendry only wanted to see how well Arya was. She stood up without help and began walking again, so he followed. He carried the food bag and Hot Pie fell in line behind him. Northward they went, the pace today was slower, than what Arya usually went. Her strength began to fade around mid day. When she began to stumble, Gendry picked her up. She protested, swore and fought him, but it was all a feeble attempt. He tossed her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, until she stopped struggling.
"If you're done now, I can carry you on my back. When you have your energy back, then you can get down and walk again," Gendry explained.
"Alright," she gave in.
He put her down so she could stand, then remained crouched, so she could get on his back. She was a little embarrassed to be wrapping her legs around his waist and having his arms under them, but no one could see that. She put her hands on his shoulders.
"Put your arms around my neck, that way I know you won't fall backwards. Just try not to choke me," he instructed.
She obeyed, pretending it was her brother giving her a piggy-back ride. Gendry gave the food and water bags back to Hot Pie to carry. Then off they went. So far in their journey they had not seen another person. In the distance once they had seen what could have been a rider, but the fast moving horse, never came close enough for them to confirm. Eventually they came to a corn field and from her vantage point on Gendry's back, Arya could see people and a few cruck houses.
"I see people, I hope they are welcoming to travellers." Arya said.
Hot Pie suddenly had more energy, "maybe they have corn cakes!" For the first time, since they had started their journey, the fat boy kept pace with Gendry.
Arya whispered in Gendry's ear, "if we tied a cake to a string and dangled it in front of Hot Pie, he'd pull us all the way to Winterfell."
Gendry chuckled, "when we get there, remember Hot Pie, Ary is a boy to everyone else. And let her do the talking first."
As they came closer, some dogs came at them barking and snarling. A woman came out of the cruck house. She saw that the people coming closer, were just children and she called off the dogs.
"What do you want?" She asked, not too friendly.
"We're looking to do some work in exchange for water and food," Arya said.
The woman grunted. "Is something wrong with your legs?"
Gendry put Arya down, so she could stand on her own. Then spoke before she could. "This lad hasn't eaten in days, so that we could." He pointed to himself and Hot Pie. "He grew too weak to walk."
The woman harrumphed. "You and the fat one, go into the field over there. My husband Henry will put you to work. You," she pointed at Arya, "come with me."
Gendry gave Arya the food bag, that was nearly empty. He kept their water bag. Then he and Hot Pie walked into the corn field in the direction the woman had pointed. It wasn't too long, before they met her husband. The man said little, other than instructing them what he wanted them to do.
Back at the house, the woman made Arya sit down. "You're no boy, but a girl."
Arya knew better than to protest. "It's safer to travel as a boy."
"I bet. Here eat. Then you can help me clean this place up. The dogs shat all over the place."
Arya was given bread and some kind of gruel. She didn't care what it was and began to wolf it down. "Thank you ma'am."
"Slow down girl, or it will come back out."
She did as she was told and ate slower. When she had scraped the last drop out of the bowl and eaten all the crumbs, the woman took the dishes away. Then together they cleaned up the house. It was a dirt floor, so it was easy to shovel up the poop. Next they cleaned the dishes. The last thing they did was take a bundle of cloths to the stream that fed the corn field. Here they washed them.
"You three are ripe. Before you sleep with us tonight, all three of you are going to bathe here. We might be peasants, but I refused to smell no better than a sow."
"Thank you. Hot Pie… he's the fat boy, has smelt so bad these last few days, he walks behind us."
The woman gave her a gap toothed grin and a dry cackle. "The fat ones usually smell worse than the others. So why are you walking around out here?"
"Our father died recently. He told us to go to the Night's Watch, if he was to pass on. That is where we travel and why I am a boy."
The lady nodded. "You might get away with it. I can give you some tips about keepin' you're secret longer."
The woman showed her how to bind her chest, so that no one could see that Arya was developing breasts. Then, much to Arya's embarrassment, discussed what to do, when she got her monthly flow.
"You're probably not going to get it for a while yet, but since their ain't no woman even close to the wall, you'll be on your own." The woman felt Arya's arms, pushed at her stomach and made her turn around. "You might get it when you're fifteen or so. Too skinny for your own good. But fit in as a boy, you will."
"I've fooled most men so far on this journey," Arya admitted.
The woman nodded in the direction of the field, "those two both your brothers?"
"Yes. But the men who robbed us, they all thought I was a boy."
"Lucky for you."
That ended the conversation and after hanging up the washed clothing, they began to prepare the meal. Arya offered the left over cheese to add to the meal.
"Before you leave, we'll give you enough to make it to town. That is if the fat one doesn't eat it all."
They both laughed and Arya thanked her. Then the woman gave her a blanket and told her to bathe and then wash her clothing with the soap root. She did as she was told. The water was very cold, but being able to wash made it worth it. Also cleaning her cloths, was something that she'd longed for.
When the boys had finished in the fields, she sent first the tall one to wash up at the stream. She'd forgotten that the girl was still there bathing. When Gendry went in the direction of the stream, he heard a shriek and knew it was Arya. Thinking that something was harming her, he ran forward. He skidded to a halt, when he saw her.
"Are you okay? I heard you scream." He called to her.
She almost turned around, then realized she was naked. "Go away, I'm fine. I just slipped and fell in the water."
He could see how skinny she was, it alarmed him to see her spine sticking out of her skin. Realizing he was staring, he turned around. "I'm to bathe and wash my cloths too. Hot Pie will be coming also. Are you almost done?"
"I'll get out. Just don't turn around." Arya warned. She got out and put the blanket around her. With clean clothing on one arm, she said, "okay you can turn around."
"Will you stay and help me with my cloths?"
Arya blushed, misunderstanding him. "Umm….what?"
Realizing how that had sounded, Gendry started laughing. "I meant can you help me clean it?"
She thought he was laughing at her and it hurt Arya's feelings. She got angry then, "wash it yourself." She stormed off, in the process she dropped her pants.
Gendry's chuckle continued as he took off his clothing. When he got into the water, his smile left. "Damn that's cold!" Then he shouted after her, "you could have warned me!"
The water around him quickly turned black, as he washed off days of grime. He was kneeling, so he could wash his hair, when Arya returned, looking for her pants. She saw him shirtless and felt the heat rise in her face, as she admired his muscular abs, arms and shoulders.
"I came back for my pants," she announced.
He almost stood up, then realized that would mean she'd see him completely naked. Part of him wanted to do it, just to see her reaction. But knowing that she was noble born, he did not. Instead he settled for teasing her. "Come to spy on me bathing, my lady?" He grinned as he watched her face get red, whether it was embarrassment or anger, he knew not.
"I did not! I came for my pants, I already said so." She shook her pants at him. "Anyway, I've seen better." She taunted back.
He raised an eyebrow calling her bluff, "really now. I don't think you have ever seen a man naked, other than family."
For that comment, she picked up some mud and threw it at him. Her aim, as usual was good and a big splat of mud landed on his chest. She laughed as it, slowly slipped down the crease of his abs and fell into the water. He retaliated by splashing her with water, careful though not to expose himself. Arya grinned deviously, picking up his blanket and pants.
Realizing her intent, was to leave him naked on his trek back to the cruck house, he yelled at her. "Don't you dare! I'd never do that to you."
She thought about it a few minutes, enjoying watching him squirm. When he begged her not to, then she relented. "Alright, I won't."
After she left, Gendry used the soap root to clean his cloths. Some of the marks, were just too dirty to come out. Finally he was done and with blanket wrapped around his waist, he went back. He passed Hot Pie on the path.
"The water is cold. Here's the soap root to use for bathing and your cloths."
Hot Pie frowned, "I don't think I need a bath."
Gendry snorted, "oh yes you do. And I'm going to stand on the bank here and make sure you take one." He did just that, but gave the other boy privacy, by turning away from the water.
Once Hot Pie was done too, they both went back to the house. Arya was already dressed again, since the fire had dried her clothing, when they were gone. The woman was in the processes of cutting Arya's hair with a knife. She looked at the boys, giving them a once over. She grunted, which they took to mean that she approved of their cleaning of clothing and self.
"Sit," the man of the house said.
Arya and the man's wife joined them. The man said, "to the gods of old and new, bless this food."
"Amen," everyone replied.
Everyone ate, Gendry and the woman watched Arya like a hawk. They both wanted to make sure, she ate enough. Gendry also watched Hot Pie to make sure he didn't offend their hosts by eating too much. Arya kicked Hot Pie under the table, when he forgot his manners and belched.
"Excuse me," he said when he realized why she'd kicked him.
"Ye got a hearty appetite boy, too bad you're not as good a worker as that one," Henry nodded at Gendry.
"Thank you sir," Gendry said.
"I got two days of work done in one. It's ye that I should be thankin'. How long are ye three stayin' around?"
They watched the two boys look at Arya. The woman said, "so they do what you say, that power over a man can get ye into trouble." She cackled at her inside joke.
"We have to get going tomorrow morning, but thank you for sharing your home and food with us." Arya was very polite, borderline formal.
Both of their hosts nodded. "We'll give you some food for your journey and fill your water bag."
After diner, the boys could finally put their clothing on and did so outside. Since the day would start early, everyone went to sleep. Hot Pie and Gendry were asleep in seconds. The man and woman both were already snoring. So Arya whispered her usual chant and then fell asleep eventually too.