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Chapter 2 -Winterfell

When Arya saw Gendry again five years later, she had just reached her 15th name day. Her mother, Lady Catelyn, was having more trouble than ever to tame her. Arya would agree to wear a dress more often than not, but most days she would just disappear and spend her time hunting and sword fighting.

The day she and the King's bastard were reunited was the first of celebration of the engagement of her older sister Sansa Stark with the future King of Westeros, Joffrey Baratheon. Robert had convinced Ned Stark to receive him and hold a Tourney in Winterfell, and knights from all over the seven Kingdoms arrived at Wintertown. Arya was enjoying herself during the days before the event - she would dress common attire and walk around meeting the different kinds of people.

Arya was with her family to welcome the King with nearly three hundred people from Kingslanding. She was anxious to see the great number of knights with their swords and armour. Everything that day was rich and exuberant.

After the formalities she decided to go walk around the yards to see what was going on, when she heard a familiar voice shouting orders and instructions.

"Johan, that goes to the kitchens. You are familiar with the Queen's preferences, so you must overlook the food. We don't want to live the Darry scene again. Gatti, you have the horses. I'll be at the forge fixing the damaged arms,"

"Gendry!" She called, but was useless. So she followed him to the forge. She knew that Jon had kept in contact with Gendry. They had grown attached during their stay in Riverrun, and she knew she should tell Jon where to find the Bull, but instead, she decided to go and talk to him.

He had changed. He wasn't much taller than last time, but he looked stronger. His hair was a bit longer, covering his eyes and ears. He wasn't wearing refined clothes, maybe because he was coordinating the arrival of the royal family to Winterfell. Before he could enter the forge she made herself known.

"Gendry!" She couldn't tell why but his eyes on her made her feel weird, like something was shivering on the back of her neck.

Her voice was a surprise to Gendry. He didn't recognize her at first and it took nearly a minute for him to. When he did, he called, "Lady Arya!"

"Don't call me a lady," She said, while she moved closer to him, "Should I call you Ser Gendry?"

"Only if you intend to offend the knights around here," He said with a smirk. He seemed comfortable enough with her.

She gave a little smile "Most Sers I've seen arriving here don't need me to offend them, they are a shame for themselves. So are you still a squire?"

"No! I'm a royal bastard. The Small Council doesn't want me to get near any weapon that might make people think I'm an option for the throne...or worse, an honourable man,"

"So you can't fight? Here was I thinking that we would finally have our combat, your hammer against my sword," He laughed, and his laugh was as strong as his voice, and as deep as his eyes.

"Don't worry about it. I can assure you that I've enough time to practice for our combat," He winked at her and turned to select some tools, "But I assume it will have to wait until after today, I don't want Lady Arya Stark to walk to the main table with a limp,"

"Call me lady one more time and you will have a limp for the rest of your life," She walked to him and pushed him in the chest.

He laughed, "Your brother told me your temper was causing trouble in the castle, and now I can see why,"

"Jon has a big mouth, he shouldn't say such things about me around the seven realms," She said in a mocking voice.

"He doesn't! Believe me, Jon has nothing but kind words to say about you,"

"You really stick together," She said. She wished she had a good friend out of Winterfell, just like Jon had Gendry.

"We do," He said, focusing on his tools, which disturbed Arya. She did not miss him, but knowing that he was around, and so changed, she knew that she wanted to enjoy the opportunity to get to know him a bit more and find out if he really was a nice person, like her brother thought.

But before she could think of another subject for their conversation, Miken arrived.

"Lady Arya, do you need anything?"

"No Miken, I was just welcoming Ser Gendry,"

"Well, I believe you should leave, before you mother finds out where have you been," Miken left, looking suspiciously to Gendry.

"I think I should go!" Finally he turned from his tools and looked to her. "You better leave. With so many fine knights you should not spend your time with a bastard,"

"That's so stupid, I'm not even going to answer it! I have to go, I shall see you at the feast?"

"I hope so Arya. Goodbye," His brief words didn't hurt Arya, but she was expecting a little more than just a bye. Not knowing what exactly she was waiting for from the Bull, she left.

When Gendry and Jon arrived the maids were serving the third course of the feast. They spent the day and early night at the forge working on Gendry's armour. He was going to fight at the tourney without any banner or name. The King's council had forbidden him to compete, but he would be a competitor all the same. The council couldn't care less about him, and he couldn't care less about their opinion.

"I'm glad we finished everything! You won't have trouble jousting tomorrow," Jon interrupted his thoughts.

"I think I'll be alright! I just don't want to fall in the first combat," While they were eating, his eyes found Arya in the main table, "Your sister looks great,"

"Most people say that Sansa is the most beautiful maiden in the North," Jon said casually.

"I was talking about Arya," Gendry couldn't take his eyes out of her, she was wearing a light lilac dress with gray embroils, and her hair was braided down her side.

Jon was shocked with Gendry words "Arya! She is my baby sister, you better stay away from her!"

"Sorry my friend, but she is quite a sight. I think I may name her the Queen of Love and Beauty tomorrow,"

"For that you will have to win the tourney. And a bastard naming the youngest daughter of Lord Eddard Stark the Queen of Love and Beauty would be stupid, I already can see Lady Catelyn asking for your head,"

Taking a sip of his wine Gendry said, "And I can see the Queen Cersei giving 30 dragons to my assassin," The two started laughing.

"30 dragons! I Don't think your head is worth all that," Jon said nearly choking

"That hurt my feelings!"

"You should be glad I'm hurting your feelings, get near my sister and you will be seriously hurt. Maybe you should get that into that big bull head of yours,"

The laughing started again.

From the main table Arya could see Gendry and Jon arriving at the great hall. They sat together at one of the most distant tables and seemed to be having fun, talking and laughing.

It's unfair. Here I am stuck pretending to be enjoying all the boring people and this drunken King...Wait! They haven't changed clothes? Where were they? Jon must have taken Gendry to Wintertown...Lucky it was Jon, not Theon. If that was the case he would have taken Gendry to some stupid whorehouse.

Sansa put her hand upon Arya's to call her attention. "With so many knights you shouldn't spend your time staring at Jon,"

"Maybe I wasn't staring at Jon,"

"So, were you paying so much attention to the King's bastard? I don't think so. You would never stoop so low,"

Arya was offended by her sister's words. Gendry was kind and respectful, she shouldn't make such a poor judgment on him just because he wasn't born inside a marriage, "Shut up Sansa!"

Lord Eddard Stark never liked the idea of receiving a Tourney at Winterfell, but in order to celebrate the union of his older daughter with the next King he opened his doors to people from the entire realm.

Among those the mysterious knight dressed in black armour. This man wasn't much taller than the others knights, but he was much stronger. He was winning all the jousts. Everyone wanted to discover his identity, but only King Robert seemed to know who this man was.

"People say that bastards have thick heads, but mine is worse," the King seemed to be enjoying the situation.

Ned's only answer was "Is that true? I was blessed! Jon has a kind heart and mind,"

"You are a lucky man, my friend," Then he turned to the crowd, "If there is still time I want to bet my money on Gendry,"

"Be prudent my King, we don't know for sure if this man is indeed your bastard son," Queen Cersei said in a neutral voice, but her discomfort was evident.

The king just ignored her words.

"Back in King's Landing the Bull put on his stubborn head and said that he would fight, I saw no problem, but the council said no and here he is more obstinate than before," The king nearly choked over his wine.

"Seems like as well as having your looks he also has your temper. And if it is really Gendry - this mysterious knight, then he also is a better jousting competitor than you ever was," Ned said smiling to his old friend. Eddard Stark had noticed the friendship between Gendry and Jon, he appreciated seeing the two together, but now he was suspicious that Jon might have had part in this scheme.

Was Gendry one of the many sneaks of King's Landing? Maybe I should keep my children away from him, the number of bastards trying to steal realms and lordships is uncountable. This young man might be one of this kind.

Gendry couldn't believe in his own actions. He was winning every joust, people were applauding him now that just had beaten one of the many Frey fighting, and he just waved at the crowd. He never felt that good, so proud of himself. Gendry had managed to go to the final joust of the tourney, his next opponent would be Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer.

He had never thought he would go that far in the competition, but the gods were on his side. Gendry would always say that the gods would rather attend some whore prayers than his, but today it was different .Or maybe we are too far North, and the Old Gods seem to like me.

The Bull was getting ready for the next joust, his heading were sweating, his eyes losing focus. In seconds he would be shamed on the floor or his name, a bastard name or not, will be written in the history.

************

"Please Jon tell me!" Arya was sure the black knight was Gendry, she saw Jon talking to this mysterious man before. She only wanted her brother to confirm her suspicions.

"Arya I don't know what you are talking about," The little smirk in Jon's face was almost a confession.

"I know it is him. I saw that black armour yesterday,"

Jon was shocked, "Where did you see Gendry with it?"

"At the forge. I went to the forge to talk to Gendry when he first arrived, and he was with the chest plate," She shouldn't play this kind of game, but Jon wasn't giving her any other option.

Jon's voice was very different from normal, "Arya, you were alone with him at the forge?"

"Yes, but Miken interrupted us. It is good to have such a different man here," Seeing her brother turn red was priceless.

"What Miken interrupted? You weren't supposed to be alone with..."

Before her brother could finish she said."There he comes...And I had never seen the armour before, I just wanted you to confirm the knight was Gendry," She said while Jon just gave her an incredulous face and turned to see his friend be hit by the Kingslayer hard in the left shoulder, but he did not fall from the horse.

When the joust restarted Arya could feel her heart was beating stronger. She was holding Jon's hand tightly and was wishing with all her heart for Gendry's success, but it was useless.

He fell hard on the floor, and Arya's heart missed a beat. Jon felt she was nearly in pain and hugged her, but she couldn't turn her head away from him.

The black night got up and removed his helmet and only confirmed Arya's theory. Gendry wave to the crowd that was applauding him and flattering him, those who knew who he was where calling his name. He had a smile on his face and looked like someone who had just completed a hard mission. He was being acclaimed as if he was the winner, Jaime Lannister was nearly being ignored.

When Arya's reason came back she noticed she was one of the uncountable people standing and applauding Gendry. Jon was by her side doing the same.

Gendry was trying to sleep when someone knocked on his door for the fourth time. The first was the maester, who wanted to check if the shoulder he dislocated in the combat against Jaime Lannister was alright. The next two were maids who wanted to congratulate him and see if he needed something. All this only caused his mood to worsen.

When he opened the door for the fourth time he was shocked. Arya Stark was at his door, wearing a very simple dress and carrying a bottle, "What are you doing in here?"

"Aren't you going to invite me in? I brought you wine,"

"It wouldn't be proper," Just then he remembered he wasn't wearing any tunic to cover his upper body.

" I don't care about propriety," When he turned to cover himself she entered the room without his invitation, "Seven hells Gendry, you sound like a maiden,"

"Sorry if my worry in not offending your honour has hurt your feelings," He answered and tried to put on a tunic, but his shoulder hurt too much. She served two glasses and gave him one.

"I just wanted to be sure you were fine. I really appreciated what you did today," She sipped her wine.

"Thank you, but what was it worth? The council said I didn't have right over the second price because I didn't announce my name or banner. Who would lend me a banner, I know my father wouldn't. I am not stupid I know it all is just to punish me for acting against their will," He didn't want to show her was angry, but he felt comfortable with Arya, she was the kind of company he would welcome any time.

"Sorry about all that," She was deeply sorry for him. She saw daily how her brother was left behind or put aside, but Gendry's life seemed to be worse. She saw how the entire court and half of the lords and ladies at the arena looked at him with disdain, even after he had fought better than most men present.

"I don't need to be. I am no true knight," He said.

"Yes, you are," She said surely, and stood up.

"No! I'm just a bastard. And if I don't leave King's Landing this is all I'm ever going to be," His voice was full of emotions, for a second Arya saw defeat in his blue eyes.

Getting near him and putting her hand on his good arm Arya said, "You could stay with us here. People in the North are used to judging a man by what he is made of,"

Gendry had known Arya as strong willed girl, but in that moment she was only being naive. So he only held her hand in his and kissed it.

"I liked having you around," She was feeling very odd. His kiss on her hand was chaste, but it had truly had an effect on her, "You're a good friend, Gendry Waters,"

"So are you Arya Stark. I was really mad, and now I'm not going to sleep in a bad mood, thanks to you and your wine... and you are not drinking it anymore, you are already blushing,"

"Shut up Waters, I don't blush! Girls like Sansa do it," He laughed "I better go. Soon someone might discover I'm gone. And we don't want people to think I have done something to harm your maiden honour," She went to the door and opened it.

"Thank you for coming here tonight," He kissed the left side of her face.

She didn't answer with words. Arya only kissed his closed lips and left the room.

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