Sorry for the delay. Thanks to those who still read this & to those who post reviews, especially the consistent ones :)
I've decided that I'm ending this story after just a few more chapters - say, 1 to 3 - because it wasn't even meant to run long. I just answered a fic request on Tumblr, but now I don't even know if she even reads this.
But it's been quite fun to write in this setting, even if I had to wrack my brains & do research because I had no idea at first what to do haha. I'm happy you guys read this, but goodbye for this fic is coming soon.
GRRM, you still the man, even if you're on a mission to kill off my favorite characters *ugly sobbing*.
Enjoy :)
"Maybe we should get out of the water now."
Arya said to Gendry, as she started wading towards the edge of the water. The hour was already late, possibly close to midnight, and they should get back before her family notices that they're not asleep as they were supposed to be.
"No," Gendry replied, swimming after her until he was able to grab her by the waist, making her squeal a little before he placed a hand over her mouth to silence her. "Quiet, Arya!" he hissed. He treaded towards the deeper end, until she could no longer reach the bottom and had to cling to him to prevent herself from drowning.
"What are you doing?" Arya hissed back. Her hands were clutching his arm and her legs treading along with his underwater. She had to fight harder to keep afloat, since she was much smaller in stature and here she was, dragged along without any choice. "I can't reach the bottom, stupid! I'm going to drown!"
"No, you're not. I won't let you."
He finally stopped when they were deep enough, but only where Gendry was still able to reach the bottom. He shifted Arya until her arms were around his neck to keep her anchored to him. Then he put his hands on each of her thighs and made her wrap them around his waist, making her cling to him as if he were a lifeline.
"We should go back," Arya whispered close to his ear, making him shiver. Her nails were lightly scratching circular patterns behind his head, right between his head and nape. Her hand motions were making him a little distracted and sleepy, and he had to pull her tighter to him to prevent her from slipping.
"We will," Gendry answered as he placed a soft kiss on her temple. "But not until you kiss me."
Without further conversation, she leaned in and met his lips with hers in a soft, sweet kiss. Gendry groaned at the feel of her soft, moist lips as they ground themselves onto his, in what soon became a heated kiss. He groaned some more when he felt her mouth open under his, and her tongue slipped between his hot, eager mouth. His grip on her thighs went tighter, and a soft whimper came from within her when both his hands slid around to cup her ass.
Just then, she pulled her head back and whispered, "Gendry! I think someone's out here with us!"
Gendry wasn't as fast to recover from her kisses and just murmured, "Hmm?" before leaning in again for another kiss.
Arya pinched his shoulder to get his full attention. "Listen, stupid! There's someone out here with us!" she repeated. "I think I heard rustling behind the bushes right over there," she said, pointing towards their left.
Gendry tilted his head a bit until he heard the rustling of leaves and hushed whispers behind the bushes. That got Gendry's attention. With hurried movements, he swam towards the edge of the water and carried Arya out of it. They dressed in haste; not even bothering to dry themselves fully but just putting everything on.
The bushes rustled again.
"Who's there?" Gendry called out, just loud enough for the intruders to hear. He and Arya shared a nervous look until the intruders decided to let themselves known.
"Seven hells! Bran! Rickon!" Arya exclaimed, as her two youngest brothers jumped out from behind the bushes.
"Hello, Your Grace!" Rickon said, ignoring his sister as if she weren't there. This made her angry, though.
"What are you doing behind there? Were you spying on us?" Arya hissed in anger, grabbing Rickon by the arm and tugging him to get his full attention. "It's not proper to spy on other people's affairs!"
"But nothing's proper about you, my sister," Rickon replied with a cheeky grin.
Arya huffed. "Rude! I am going to ignore that, Rickon."
"What you were doing wasn't proper, either!" Bran added, his voice filled with glee over his sister's embarrassment.
"Twice as rude!" Arya said, lightly smacking Bran in the arm.
"Come on, you two," Gendry said as he ruffled Rickon's unruly curls. ""We'd best return before someone finds out we're missing."
They walked down the path leading to the Stark's home, making sure to be as quiet as they could on their trek back. The boys were walking between Arya and Gendry, making hushed conversation as they playfully nudged each other and threw jests. Arya looked over her brothers' heads and caught Gendry's eye; an apologetic look flashing from her eyes as she mouthed, "I'm sorry!" to him. Gendry mouthed "It's alright" to her before giving her a small wink. Arya bit back the small laugh threatening to come out of her, and so she bit her bottom lip and kept her gaze forward only from thereon.
For the next three weeks, Gendry spent most of his time working in the forge; training for Ned and with Edric. The latter's taunts and jeers have become less now, and Gendry knew it had something to do with Arya's threats to stick him with the pointy end. Whatever she meant, Gendry was a little thankful now that Edric leaves him in peace, although he could well stand up for himself.
"Why haven't you given that to her, yet?" Edric said to him, when they were in the stream to wash off the day's dirt and heat from the forge.
Gendry flashed him a questioning look, but Edric only nodded towards his pocket. "I've seen you work on that little trinket of yours. I assume Your Grace is giving it to her?"
Your Grace.
Gendry hasn't heard his title out loud in the last few weeks since he stepped foot on Winterfell. The Starks kept calling him by title when they were in the safety of their own home, but over time, they have eventually learned to call him just by his name.
By just Gendry.
He whisked the excess water from his hands; patting them over his breeches to dry them some more. In an act that was unbeknownst to Gendry but did not pass by Edric, Gendry patted his shirt pocket to make sure the trinket was still there. Edric gave a soft chuckle before falling into step with the young king.
"I don't know if I should, though," Gendry said as they walked back to the village, waving to a few folks out doing their daily tasks. It was probably close to supper time, but they still had time to do a little exploration of Winterfell because they haven't really done so in the weeks past.
"The Peach," Edric read out loud, as they stood in front of a small tavern right in the middle of the village. "Huh. I'm sure the gentlefolk would not appreciate a brothel within Winterfell, but I'd be happy to pay this tavern a visit for a mug of ale."
Edric started towards the tavern entrance, but Gendry only stood there watching his retreating back. When he noticed that Gendry was not walking along with him, he went back for Gendry with a shake of his head.
"Have you ever been to a tavern, Your Grace?"
"It's Gendry," he muttered under his breath. "Be quiet."
"Have you ever been to a tavern, Gendry?" Edric repeated the words, but replacing it with just his name. "I'm not so sure about how the gentlefolk do it, but us smallfolk go visit the taverns and inns and brothels at times."
Gendry squinted his eyes in suspicion. "Have you been to a brothel?"
"No."
"Me neither."
"Well, this is no brothel, so let's get our innocent selves in there and have a taste of ale instead of tasting…"
"Don't say it."
"…whores," Edric said, laughing at Gendry's eye roll. "Well, come on then!"
The inside was rowdy; twice as noisy inside as it was outside. Grown men and a few elders were seated on stools surrounding wooden tables, as they feasted on ale and food. There were a few whores, Gendry assumed them to be, for they were seated on the men's laps and kissing and teasing each other in public. But only one or two, he supposed, otherwise the patrons were all just enjoying a drink or two over loud conversation.
"You're Ned Stark's apprentice smiths, aye? Glad to know that he's found himself two able and skilled young bodies such as yourselves," said a burly man passing by, holding four mugs of ale in both hands.
"Yes, sir," Edric replied, a grin splitting across his handsome face.
""Would you boys like to sit with us, then? Me and the lads over there would share our company with the likes of ye," the man said as he led both young men towards a table near the back. "Lads! These two are Ned Stark's young apprentice smiths, uh…" he said, raising his brow at them both.
"Edric! And he's Gendry," Edric said, holding his hand out for everyone to shake.
"You deaf, boy? Or you just too bloody highborn to mingle with the lesser folk?"
What?!
Gendry's heart sank in his stomach, until he realized the man was only jesting. He could not think of a reply, so he only nodded forced himself to smile.
"I go by the name of Harwin," the burly man they first met said. "This one here is Beric, Thoros, Lem and that annoying one who can't seem to keep from singing is Tom," said Harwin, as he pointed to a lad with the pointy nose and thin brown hair. "That archer goes by the name of Anguy. Now, would you lads like a mug of ale? Tansy brews them ale to be the best in the whole of Westeros."
They spent the next hour drinking ale and chatting up with these new friends of theirs who call themselves, Brotherhood Without Banners. Gendry and Edric found them to be big adventurers; choosing a life of fleeting from one town to another and fighting for the rights of the smallfolk. Gendry thinks it would be a great adventure just to breeze through life like these men, but he knew deep inside that it was a desire he would not live to see. He was a king, after all, and he had bigger responsibilities to take care of rather than ride through town to town on endless adventures.
"Gendry."
Everyone turned to see Arya standing there, looking very uneasy in the presence of all these drunk men. Curious eyes turned towards her, until Harwin stood a took a little bow.
"M'lady," Harwin said, bending forward for a little dramatic display of chivalry.
"Shut up, Harwin," Arya snapped in response, although her face flushed a deep red in embarrassment.
"Do not call her m'lady!" Gendry said, waving his hands all around as he panicked. "No! Never call Arya a lady unless you want your face to meet that fist of hers! She gives an evil punch, that she does!"
Arya rolled her eyes before grabbing him steady by the arm. "Let's go. Father sent me out to look for you because he fears the worst. But I say you're only well into your cups," she said angrily, as she hooked his arm around her shoulders for support.
"Ah! I see that the little wolf controls the bull!" Anguy said in drunken glee. Sometime during the hour, they started calling Gendry a bull, because of his strong and muscular stature and somewhat short temper. It was but a jest that sort of got stuck in everyone's head.
Gendry threw his head back and laughed, pointing to Arya until she smacked it away from her face. "Arya Stark is a wolf, aye. She's as ill-tempered and wild as that pet of hers! Ow!"
He cried out in pain as Arya smacked him upside the head.
"Goodbye, my friends! We shall drink again on the morrow!" Gendry said, waving his hands and arms around until a struggling Arya stomped on his foot to get him to stop.
"You two make quite the pair," Edric laughed as he stumbled drunkenly out of the tavern. "I shall retire back in my room in the smithy! Good night, Arya! Good night, Gendry!"
Arya watched as he stumbled down the path that led back to the smithy. Gendry kept waving his hand even as Edric had already disappeared from sight. Giving up on efforts of supporting his weight, he jabbed an elbow to his stomach and walked off. Gendry cried out in pain as he bent forward and clutched his middle.
"Arya! What was that for?"
She didn't even turn around to give her reply. "For being a stupid bull! That's what you are! A stupid bull!"
"Don't leave me here! I see two of everything! And my knees have turned into churned butter! I cannot walk on my own, Arya!"
He cried out as he watched her walk furiously back on the way home.
"Arya!"
She didn't turn around but kept walking. She was annoyed because she had been looking all over for him; fearing the worst when she could not find him anywhere, only to discover that he was drowning himself in ale at The Peach. When she noticed that his shouts were no longer heard, she risked a peek over her shoulder and found him sitting in the middle of the dusty path. Her conscience nagged the best of her, and so with a deep sigh, she trudged slowly back to where he was sitting.
"You came back!" he exclaimed, although it had become a little weak. He was sitting on the ground with his knees bent, and his arms resting on his bent knees. His head hung low, as if he was about to pass out in the middle of the street.
"Get up. You look stupid."
"I can't. My arms and legs have become heavy."
"Here," she said, offering her outstretched arm to him. "Hold on to my arm and pull yourself up. I can't just do it on my own because you're bigger than I am."
When he was on his feet again with an arm around her shoulders, they started walking slowly down the street to return home.
"I'm sorry, Arya."
"It's okay."
"I'm drunk."
"Yes, you are."
"I'm drunk."
"You already said that."
Arya decided to sneak him back into the forge first until he sobered a little, before they want back in the house. Her parents would throw a fit if he sees Gendry like this, so the forge was probably the best option.
She made him sit on one of the wooden workbenches near the door, and almost laughed when he moved to lay on it. Curled up like a little boy, Gendry didn't look so much like a Baratheon king at this moment. Taking pity on him, she sat on her haunches and pushed back the hair that fell over his now-closed eyes.
"Don't fall asleep, yet. We have to take you back inside the house. Sit up, Gendry. And try not to fall asleep."
He did as she told, although it took him great effort to do so. When Arya stood and moved away from him, he grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle tug.
"Come here," his voice rasped, pulling to make her sit on his lap.
"What are you doing? You're drunk, Gendry."
"I am," he said. "But I'm not as drunk as I was earlier."
"Good. So we can go back home now?"
"Wait," he said in a panicked voice. "I want to give you this first."
His hand slipped into his shirt pocket and fumbled a bit, making him curse under his breath. Arya laughed at his frustrated state, until he placed a hand over her mouth to silence her.
"I…uh…I made this…for you," he said, as he took her hand and pressed something into her palm.
Arya's brows were knitted together, but only until she opened her palm and saw the gift he gave her. It was a tiny trinket made of silver metal, but that wasn't what surprised her. It was shaped into a wolf, and one whose head was turned up to give a howl. It was as if she could hear its cry, and something unknown made the feeling in her chest tighten and the insides of her stomach flutter.
She turned the trinket over and over, watching as the little light from the moon that sneaked through the windows bounced against the metal. She could feel Gendry's eyes on her and decided to meet them with her own, when she couldn't hold off staring at him any longer.
"You made this…for me?"
Gendry nodded, tucking a few loose strands of hair behind her ear. His thumb moved on to caress her cheek, and her eyes fluttered close from the soft touch.
"Thank you, Gendry," she whispered. "I love it very much. Thank you."
Gendry's nervousness ebbed away a little, and he was soon able to smile. "I was hoping you'd like it."
"I didn't know you could make something like this. Father made us little toys and trinkets over the years, and I never knew anyone else who had such talent as my father."
"That's the best compliment one could say to me," Gendry said with a grin.
Arya laughed softly, covering her mouth immediately as she realized Edric was asleep in the room at the back. "Come on, we have to get back or my mother will have the rest of my siblings out on a search party for the lost Baratheon king."
"Maybe I am lost," he said softly.
Arya heard the meaning behind those words, so she leaned forward to plant a soft kiss on his lips, just enough to soothe his worries away.
"But I've found my refuge here," he added softly.
Arya's breath hitched in her throat, and she couldn't find anything fitting in response to that. So she stood from his lap and fumbled with her skirts, straightening out folds and creases for lack of anything better to do with her nervous hands. Gendry took care of that anyway, when he enfolded them in his, and Arya tried to keep the smile from showing.
"If you're ready, m'lady?" Gendry teased, signaling towards the door.
And in that moment, Arya Stark didn't mind being called m'lady at all.
