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Chapter 6

Arya refused to speak to Gendry since the day in the forest. She had stormed back to the camp where only a few of the brothers remained. Several of them had gone she didn`t know where with the whore and the rest of them that weren`t outside had gathered in the cave to get out of the rain that. She had decided to join the men in the cave. Rownan had been inside and met her gaze when she entered. He had pulled her aside and apologized for the whole situation with the wench. Arya did not reply just stared at him with distaste before and replied simply with,

"You owe me no apology you did no harm to me."

With that she made her way to a far corner and sat alone the rest of the night until she returned to her and Gendry`s sleeping place. She slept alone however because Gendry never came to bed that night. It had been two days since then and he still hadn`t returned to where is furs lie cold and unused. She didn`t see him nights and it was rare that she saw him during the days either.

Arya knew that what she had said had been cruel and maybe a little bit more hurtful than necessary but he deserved it. She never thought however that the fight would go on this long or that Gendry would ignore her like this. As each day passed she became angrier and more irritated with him.

The third night Arya snuck away to hunt. She had been chasing a rabbit through the trees for over an hour before she finally caught it. She was deep in the woods far from the other men but that didn`t bother her. These trees were her second home now, she knew how to keep from getting lost and how to survive alone. The sun was beginning to turn everything a bright orange color when she finally started her long walk back to camp. As her feet took one step after another her mind began to wonder and she found herself thinking of that day with Gendry. She began to recall the feeling that erupted inside of her when she saw that he had come after her. When he had told her he hadn`t wanted the woman and that he wouldn`t have touched that filthy woman in front of everyone like that but Arya knew that he meant he wouldn`t have touched her. She had been so pleased to see him and to know that that woman hadn`t had her way with him but she could not show him that. She had to be strong, she could not and would not let the feelings she had for him get in the way of her journey. She hated the fact she even had feelings for him that were more than just thoughts of friendship. She wasn`t Sansa that is what she was good at. Falling in love with handsome men and acting like a complete idiot any time she was around one of her men. Yes that was her sister but was most definitely not Arya, and yet here she was still obsessing over why he refused to speak to her.

She was getting close to the camp now, she could hear the voices of the brothers and she could smell the fire. She tried her best to push the thoughts from her head as she kept on toward the sound of laughter, but she stopped suddenly when she heard another noise. It sounded like someone was hitting something with a stick?

Arya instinctively put her hand on Needles hilt before quietly following the odd noise. She didn`t have to go far before it was loud enough for her to know whatever it was would be just ahead in the clearing. The sun was almost gone now but it glowed a blood red color casting an odd color on the world around her. As she reached the clearing she could see him.

His back was to her, a rusty battle worn sword in his right hand, and beads of sweat glistening red as they traveled down his bare back disappearing under his leather pants. Gendry stood with the sword at his side for several moments catching his breath before pulling the sword up and swinging it as the tree again. Arya noticed how his feet moved and the muscles in his arms and back and shoulders worked at every thrust of the old sword at its wooden foe. He looked almost graceful for being Gendry and she couldn`t help but watch him. It was almost completely dark before he finally dropped the sword and sat on the ground his chest rising and falling with his tired breaths. Arya stood in the trees continuing to watch him. He is getting better she thought, he must have been practicing.

Arya swallowed hard and left her hiding place among the trees and entered the clearing. Gendry was laying on his back with his eyes closed when she sat down next to him.

"You are getting good Gendry, I could have still easily killed you but against a normal foe I think you might actually stand a chance. Have you been practicing, because I could help teach you if you would like."

His eyes shot open and he sat up staring at her. Arya didn`t know what to do or say but Gendry took care of that problem for her.

"What do you want?" He asked her. "Why are you out here?"

Arya felt the annoyance in her start to itch.

"I was on my way back from hunting when I saw you so I stopped to watch. Is that a crime? Oh and in case you missed it," Arya got to her feet and looked down at Gendry, "I paid you a compliment you ass!"

With that she turned and started to walk away from him.

"Arya please wait." His voice sounded desperate and for some reason her legs stopped moving and she turned around to face him.

"What do you want" She snapped the words at him so harshly it made her wince, but Gendry came closer unfazed by her tone.

"I am sorry I said that you just startled me is all. I wanted to tell you that I have been practicing, I watch you when I can and then I just sort of improvise the rest."

"You watch me?" Arya sounded dumb founded of course she knew Gendry watched her when she did her water dance but she never knew he was watching trying to learn. She felt a tremendous amount of pride well up inside of her.

"Yes I love to watch you with Needle, it`s like you`re a moving piece of art the way you move and swing your sword."

Arya felt her face go red and she looked down at needle to avoid his shining blue eyes.

"I wanted to make sure that I was good with a sword as well. So… so that I could keep you safe."

Arya`s eyes shot up from Needle to Gendry`s face.

"I don`t need protection," she said in a small voice, "I know how to take care of myself." As the words were coming out of her mouth she couldn`t help but feel that gnawing at her guts she often felt around him, at the thought of him learning to use a sword to keep her safe.

"I know you can Arya I just meant so incase anything were to ever happen and you couldn`t protect yourself you would still have me."
Gendry refused to look at her as he said this knowing she was thinking he was an idiot or worse.

"I will still have you? She said in a sarcastic tone "I don`t have anyone. I am alone. You don`t come near me or even speak to me now. My family is being picked off one by one, and everyone else that I come into contact with wants to kill me or sell me like cattle. You will leave me just like everyone else does. The first chance at glory or riches you will go just like everyone else I know you will."

Gendry felt his chest tighten and his emotions were beginning to run high. She was the only one that had ever made him feel like this. So hopelessly devoted to her and yet so resentful of how she was toward him.

"Is that what you think?"

She wasn`t looking at him anymore instead she had turned side face and was staring off into the growing darkness.

"Arya. Look at me."
She slowly turned and met his eyes. His eyes were like a storm over the ocean, they were mesmerizing she thought.

"Do you really believe that? That I will leave you?"
Arya didn`t want to answer him at first. She was glad he was speaking to her again she didn`t want to start another fight but she knew he would know if she lied to him so she took a deep breath and in the strongest voice she could muster she answered.

"Yes Gendry I do. I think you care for me as a brother cares for his sister but protecting me cannot bring you glory, or riches, or women or children or power. It can`t give you any of the things a man desires. I`m not saying I blame you for it, but eventually yes I believe you will leave me just like everyone else."

He didn`t even have to speak for her to see the hurt on his face.

Slowly he stepped forward until he was inches from Arya, and lowered his face to hers.

"Believe what you want Lady Stark, but I will not leave you. I couldn`t leave you. And there is nothing brotherly about the way I feel towards you. Not anymore." With that he leaned forward placing a kiss that was far too soft to come from the lips of a blacksmith on her mouth.

Arya gasped and pulled away from him. Gendry opened his eyes to see hers wide with surprise, even in the dark he could see how red her cheeks were.

"Was that your first kiss Arya?"

Without an answer she balled up her fist and made solid contact with his chest knocking the wind out him.

"What the hell do you think you are doing? You keep your mouth off me!" She turned and started trudging away from him. She could hear his heavy footsteps behind her when she stopped and turned on him. "And one more thing, for your information that was my first kiss not all of us sell pleasure to men like the woman you are used to kissing." She turned again and made her way back into camp Gendry silently following. Her face was glowing red so she did not dare to turn to look at him. Why had he done that! What did that even mean nothing brotherly about how he felt? He had told Beric she was his sister but Arya had yelled at him that she wasn't.

Arya`s mind was so fuzzy as she lied down under her furs. She didn`t even bother with a fire. The only thought that she could think clearly was that kiss. The feeling of his lips on hers and her surprise at how soft and gentle he was. Gendry was always like a bull loud and strong and hot headed, but tonight he had been different. And she had enjoyed it.

She hadn`t been lying there long when she heard footsteps and opened her eyes to see Gendry with an arm fool of sticks and other fuels for a fire. She watched him silently light the fire and pull of his boots and crawl under his own furs. He looked up from the fire and saw her staring at him. A small smile stretched across his face. Arya tried to suppress the smile that was fighting to stretch across her own face. Instead she threw a small pebble at him.

"Go to sleep Gendry and stop looking at me like that or I`ll cut your eyes out."
Arya rolled over feeling happy for the first time since she had left Winterfell. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to dream. Of home, of her family, of Gendry and of that kiss. She dreamed such happy dreams unaware of how horrible her situation was about to become.