Valyrian Steel

Chapter 21

Gendry

"Move Stupid!" Arya screamed as she dragged Aegon out of the path of Rhaegal's tail and on to the ground. "I told you to watch out for the tail stupid! Do you have ice in your eyes you blind lizard! Do it again and this time don't ignore the tail or I'll sheep shift your bed!"

Gendry couldn't help but let a wry smile loose as he watched Arya berate Aegon for the tenth time that session. She had been helping Aegon and Jon train with the dragons for the past few days, Jon had barely managed to feed Viserion while Aegon had managed to touch Rhaegal and use the whip to call him for food and send him away. Arya was relentless with the both of them ,yelling at Aegon to stay aware and to not let his guard down, no matter how pliant Rhaegal seemed. Rhaegal had the tendency to seem like she was obeying when really she was only coming in for a quick attack. Viserion on the other hand would not approach and when Jon tried to approach her Arya had thrown a shoe at him.

"Let her come to you or she will never approach! If you walk towards a wolf they step back, the same with her. Be a gentleman Jon, not an arse!"

Aegon had laughed at that and she had thrown snow at his head, "Eyes on Rhaegal you stupid!"

They both took her verbal abuse rather well, Jon because she was his beloved sister and Aegon…Gendry was not sure why Aegon took her insults so well. It annoyed him but it was better than her offending the future king of Westeros. He was not so lucky, Arya directed no insults to him, only glares. She had not spoken to him once and it hurt. Arya seemed surprised to see him by the wierwood tree and only glared at him when he spoke. She seemed especially annoyed at the fact that he had grown almost a foot since he last saw her. He had apologized for losing her and she had ignored him.

Gendry followed Arya around camp and even stood next to her during council meetings since she would not directly dismiss him. He was there when she met Lady Stoneheart. She didn't scream like Sansa, instead Arya sat at the lady's feet resting her head on her mother's lap and told her the story of her escape and her training. The lady listened smiling and stroking her daughters head. It would have been a sweet vision if not for the fact that the lady was a corpse.

Gendry was distracted by his thoughts when he felt something nudge him from behind. He turned and saw Nymeria's golden eyes looking up at him, the wolf had decided that he was a friend the moment he approached Arya. She stood and craned her head to nuzzle his chin. Gendry laughed and scratched her under her jaw, while she gave him sloppy kisses.

"Traitor!" he heard Arya yell and looked over Nymeria's head. She was glaring at them but her wolf paid her no mind.

"Nymeria, come!" Nymeria whined a bit and gave him one final lick before bounding over to her mistress.

Gendry bowed at the three "The Queen requests your presence at a council meeting. The lords are gathering."

Aegon turned towards Rhaegal "Sovegon!" he commanded in High Valyrian and the dragon flew away. Jon merely stepped away from Viserion who eyed them all warily. Arya mounted Nymeria and shot him a glare before riding away. Gendry felt a little forlorn until Jon placed a hand on his shoulder."If she didn't care about you she wouldn't be angry." Gendry looked down at the shorter man and gave him a grateful smile.

Jon had become a good friend during the few days that he had known him. They were of a like mind and had bonded over their similar background. Jon knew who Gendry's father was but he did not seem to feel the need to bring it up during every conversation like so many did. The bastard son of a king befriended the bastard son of a prince. His father had killed Jon's but the Lord Commander did not seem to care. His brother Aegon however did. There was no confrontation, Gendry made sure to be civil but the looks the prince gave him were hardly subtle. It was as if Aegon was deciding whether or not to hate him.

Along the way to the main tent the three of them bumped into Marwyn, who excitedly stopped Jon to ask is he could perform and experiment on one of his blue eyed corpses. Sarella Sand and her companion, a homely looking man called Pate bowed towards the three of them making Gendry feel uncomfortable. Everyone knew who his father was and they either took on airs with him or called him bastard. He preferred the later. Jon sent Marwyn off after the old maester promised he would not unchain dead things in the hull.

He followed the two brothers to the main tent where Daenerys was waiting with Arya, the two of them were as different as light and day but they seemed to be in each others confidence. Arya whispered in the Queens ear and she let out a surprisingly loud laugh. Queen Daenerys covered her mouth and chortled as Arya let out a triumphant grin. The Queen blushed temporarily and coughed to clear her voice before greeting them.

"Please be seated, before we call for the lords I'd like to know how your training is going."

"Idiot number one keeps forgetting to check for Rhaegal's tail and focuses only on her head."

"Can you blame me, she has so many teeth." Aegon said with good natured grin.

"Idiot number two, keeps invading Viseron's personal space." Arya said ignoring his comment.

"I keep telling you that I should just warg into her." Jon shot back.

"She was controlled by a magic horn, you want to invade her mind more. She's feeling violated, it was the equivalent of mental rape. She won't let you in until she trusts you. You can reach into her mind but she'll just be further traumatized. It would be like another warg trying to take over ghost, he would fight back, so will she. " As usual Arya was adamant that Jon not try to warg into Viserion. From what little Gendry understood there had to be a bond before the attempt was made less the animal be harmed mentally.

"Then how did you manage with Rhaegal?"

"I was in Daenerys' court for a month, they knew my scent, my mind. You can make mental contact without taking full control. Rhaegal fought me but she was fighting everyone. She doesn't see it like Viserion, it's a competition to her not something invasive." She shot back getting frustrated. Daenerys looked at her with obvious approval and patted her hand to calm her down.

"When do you think they will be ready?"

"Aegon should be able to mount Rhaegal in a week, given he isn't killed by that tail. If Jon listens to me two or three weeks. "

"Good, could you and Missandei please call the lords to join us, and have the cooks serve something warm." Arya nodded and left to follow Daenerys' orders, she scowled when Nymeria lingered sitting at Gendry's feet.

"Ser Gendry there is one issue I'd like to address with you." Daenerys said, speaking to him for the first time ever. Gendry stiffened and prepared himself for an onslaught of insults and accusations based on his parentage.

"Your uncle Stannis has refused to rescind his claim on the throne, if he continues with this farce I will have to kill him. There should still be a Baratheon to rule over Storms End. I wish for you to be the new lord of the Storm Lands after we drive the dead back."

Gendry reigned in his agitation and answered as calmly as possible. "Thank you for the offer but I have no wish to become a lord."

"Your sister Mya answered similarly, I offered the position to her first since she is the eldest. She has no desire to lead I was hoping you would. We have need of you and I've been assured by Arya that you are trustworthy and capable."

That caught his attention, he looked up and Daenerys was smiling kindly at him. "I know what it's like to have conflicted feelings about a father, mine was a monster, yours' was a fool. But we do not have to be our fathers, we can be better. You may not like the nobility, but if you really want to make a difference for the people you need power, the power to do something about the injustice that you have witnessed. This title will give you that power."

"Is it wise to give so much power to the son of the Usurper?" Aegon said with a suspicious glance.

"He may look like Robert but he is nothing like the man. It's useless to hate ghosts, or their reflections." Daenerys said calmly. Aegon seemed surprised and looked at Gendry with the same look as before. He was still deciding.

"This is not a decision that can be made lightly over tea, sleep on it." Jon said holding Gendry's gaze. "This won't affect just you but the Stormlands as well."

Gendry nodded and the topic of conversation shifted to Sansa's state of health. She was pregnant and the maesters were cetain that the pregnancy would keep, but Arya warned them that Nymeria heard two heartbeats where there should be one. The lady of the Vale was pregnant with twins. Arya and Nymeria checked the heartbeats everyday and kept wine and fish from her even when the maesters insisted that it was fine.

Sansa and Arya's relationship was not warm, occasionally Arya would snap at her still angry over some offense Sansa committed long ago, but she still spoke to her. Arya was also fiercely protective of her sister and spent at least an hour of the day with her. Rickon and her spent their time hunting in the forest or with the Lady Stoneheart. Jon and her usually spent their time with Daenerys and Aegon talking about the war and the political situation in Westeros. Arya's response to every issue was an offer to assassinate anyone who was giving them trouble, something that thoroughly disturbed Jon and Sansa. Rickon told her a battle would be better and Gendry, for the most part, preferred Arya's position. Less soldiers would be lost and the people would not be strained by having to deal with unruly soldiers. Kill one man and save thousands.

Arya walked back in with Rickon and some Northern lords trailing behind her. The lords of the North were very much in love with the Starks, though clear lines had been drawn between them. House Forrester entered followed by the Mormonts, Manderlys, Glover, Karstark, Umber, Stane and finally Reed. The Northerners were either boisterous, dour, surly or gearing up for war, there was no in between. Gendry tried not to smile at the fact that Arya had the same problem.

Sansa and her husband soon followed since the announcement of the pregnancy the Lord of the Vale had been overflowing with pride. He rarely left her side and was often seen doting on her with his hand on her stomach even though she had not begun to show. The Starks seemed happy with their new brother-in-law and the lords of the North enjoyed his company. They night that Sansa's pregnancy was announced, the same night Arya returned, the Men of the North, Riverlands and Vale drank and toasted to the Starks. They had all gotten Harrold Arryn roaring drunk and he was found the next morning naked underneath the wierwood with his clothes scattered all over the branches. He had sacrificed his clothes to his wife's Old Gods, a suggestion made by Arya during a particularly wicked moment.

Willas Tyrell, Aurane Waters, Jon Connington, Tyrion Lannister, Varys, and Barristan Selmy entered last. The lord and ladies sat down as a hearty stew was served with watered down mead and wine. Arya preferred mead, but was certain to deny her sister wine. Harrold spoke amicably towards Jon while Alys Karstark and her wildling husband listened with great interest to Rickons' tale of his latest tussle with a shadow cat. Willas had struck a conversation with Sansa about Margaery and his family while Arya whispered in Daenerys' ear. Gendry was speaking to Hother Umber about his armor when Daenerys stood and called the attention of the Lords.

"While we eat I would like to update everyone on the state of affairs this evening. We have all met the true enemy thanks to Lord Commander Snow, but we can not all march to the wall just yet. What good is an army if it's starving? The Tyrells and Martells have graciously promised us grain and preserves to take North, but we need to help clear the way. The easiest will be by sea, but from the West we will encounter the Iron Born and possibly Lannister forces. However if we take the goods from Old Town to Sunspear then up towards Eastwatch-by-the-Sea we can avoid resistance."

"That's if the Skaggs don't attack." Mors Umber loudly proclaimed. Rickon tossed a hatchet onto the table and growled with Shaggy-dog. Sansa and Jon reached out to calm him but Arya leaned back and laughed.

"Skaggs they may be, but they kept Rickon safe from Bolton, Lannister and Stannis. Keep your tongue or they'll rename you Wolf-shit Umber." She said with a grin.

The Skaggossi and Rickon laughed raucously along with a few other northern lords. Mors slammed his fist down, "I'll not be insulted by some green maiden."

Arya's eyes took on a dangerous light and she held the older man's gaze "I've been killing men since I was nine, eighty and five names I have taken. By what right do you call me green?"

The tent stilled until Mors let out a laugh, "I stand corrected, eighty and five! You do your house honor."

"Then it's decided, we will have the goods sail across the Western coast." Daenerys said with a small shrug.

"We also should discuss news from the capitol." Aegon said leaning forward. "Varys?"

"One of my little birds has just brought word that Cersei Lannister burned down Flea Bottom, the Sisters' Street, and the Sept of Bealor with wild-fire. The burned residents that managed to get away rose up and stormed the Red Keep killing many Gold-Cloaks and Kings Guards, I'm told Tommen also fell but his mother managed to escape." Varys intoned.

"Mad stupid cunt, I save the city from wildfire and she burns it down less than a decade later." Tyrion said slamming his goblet down.

Gendry felt a gnawing feeling in the pit of his stomach, for a moment he felt as if he would lose his meal. Everyone he knew from Flea Bottom was probably dead, and what of Tobho and all the other blacksmiths on the Street of Steel? The Northerners took the news better, a few even cheered. Gendry looked towards Arya whose eyes had gone cold, he knew that she spent weeks wandering Flea-bottom alone when she was just a girl. That would not ingratiate them to her, but he hoped she would at least feel something.

"Tyrion, how soon till she makes it to Casterly Rock?" she asked looking sideways at him.

"A few weeks, I do hope you'll save her for me." Tyrion grinned.

"I can't make any promises." Arya said with a cold smile.

"No, vengeance must wait, there are more important things we must accomplish. It won't matter who holds Kings Landing or the Rock if the Others are not stopped." Jon interrupted.

"Indeed," Daenerys agreed. "Who fights over ownership of a barn while it burns down."

"We should maintain contacts there to keep us upraised of the situation." Aegon said directing his attention to Varys who bowed his head obedience.

Gendry hated this, thousands dead, burned, starving or homeless and these lords saw it as a victory.

"We should send aide to the people, food and ships to take them elsewhere." Sansa said gently.

"I could spare some grain but not much, my own people need to eat and this will be a long winter." Willas added looking towards Lady Sansa.

"The Vale can contribute, we have not dug into our own stores as of yet." Harrold added.

"Promise to feed wives and children if the men come North to fight." Jon added.

The Staynes and Umbers nodded in agreement with that last statement. Alys Karstark spoke up, heavy with child but still fierce.

"Before my men march North we need to take the Twins. The Freys must pay, but they have important hostages."

"Aye, my nephew remains in their keep." Mors Umber added.

"We have dragons." Aurane said with a wave of his hands.

"Dragons will destabilize the Keep and bring tons of stone atop the prisoners." Daenerys said, dismissing the idea entirely.

"If we attack the Freys will kill them." Alys added wringing her hands, her husband pulled her back down to her seat and calmed her with a soft voice that did not match his wild features.

"I'll do it." Arya said with a shrug. "I already know how."

Daenerys gave her a cautious look, "What are you planning Arya?"

"I'll infiltrate the Twins and poison their food and water. No one will live by morning." Arya said as she tore her bread to feed to Nymeria.

"No!" Gendry said slamming his mug down on the table and standing up. He knew everyone was watching him but he only held Arya's gaze. "You'd be no better that Cersei."

"What do you know?!" she said standing and yelling back finally addressing him.

"I know that you're not thinking about everyone else, just your list. I know that you haven't given a single thought to the servants, the children. People who had nothing to do with what happened to your family, people who are just trying to keep their heads down and stay alive. People who want nothing to do with highborn games." Gendry spat out. He didn't care if he lost her forever or if they clapped him in chains for speaking out of turn. He was the only one thinking of the people.

"You know nothing!" Arya shouted back "You weren't there! I saw it all! They paraded my brother out with his wolf attached to his head and they laughed. They laughed. They're traitors and cowards and they all deserve to die. You didn't have to watch, you didn't have to hear them laugh like it was a huge joke." She was clenching her fists and he knew that she was inches from hitting him. He still pushed forward.

"And you didn't have to search through every carcass that floated ashore. I looked for you, I flipped over every corpse that I could find looking for you. Days, wading through the mud and blood looking for a dead girl! I found dozens of other dead girls and boys. Not just soldiers, women, children, each time I prayed it wasn't you. Didn't matter that it was a nameless child, just as long as it wasn't you! Then I found her. It isn't just about what you lost." The fire left her eyes and she stepped back. The furrow in her brow stayed but it was one of confusion not anger. She bit her lip in that infuriating way and he became more agitated. Those damned lips.

"Now you want to go in and finish them all off. You're no better than Cersei, the Boltons or Walder Frey! You want to kill eachother? Then keep your highborn games to yourselves and leave us out of it!" He finished and stormed out of the tent still furious.

The chill in the air calmed him some, but he needed to hit something. He saw a few men sparing and reached for his sword but then he caught sight of the forge close by. Gendry made his way over there and lost himself in the rhythm of his work. He stripped off several layers after the warmth of the forge and his work started to make him sweat. The rhythm was good, the song kept him sane as worked and molded a new blade.

"Thank you Gendry." Gendry looked up and saw grey eyes, but not the ones he wanted.

"Lord Commander." He answered stiffly.

"Arya's different, I know that. She only knows how to solve problems with poison or a blade." Jon smiled sadly. "You pulled her back, she forgets who she is sometimes and you helped her remember."

Gendry frowned, "I don't think she shares the sentiment."

"She does, she might not admit it but she does. She came up with a better idea, something that I think you should help with. She's more herself with you, even when she doesn't speak to you."

"How can I help?" Gendry asked in confusion.

"Willas the Brotherhood and a company of one-hundred men will travel to the Twins with Arya. They'll treat with Walder Frey, obviously he won't give up his only bargaining chip. The point is for them to provide proof of life, Arya will sneak away and help the prisoners escape. She'll kill Walder and lower the bridge to allow the rest of our men to enter. If the Frey's surrender we will allow them to live long enough to send them to The Wall. Daenerys will not tolerate the death of any innocents. She would have never let Arya poison the whole castle."

"Arya does what she wants." Gendry said unconvinced.

Jon laughed "She always has. But you made her see what was right. She won't thank you for it but I will."

Gendry stared silently at the forge and nodded.

"Will you do it?" Jon asked

"Yes." Gendry said after a pause

"What of the title that was offered?"

"No, never" Gendry replied quickly.

"You could do a lot of good. No one there thought of the servants save for you and Daenerys. She freed all the slaves in Essos, but she could only so that because she had a title. I only started making a difference when I became Lord Commander and united the Wildlings and the Nights Watch. I stopped being just a bastard, Daenerys stopped being a pawn, think of what you could do with a title. You could make some real changes for the common folk, not just attack lords on the road."

Gendry stiffened and Jon slapped him on the shoulder. "Think on it."
Gendry looked back at the forge and returned to what he knew best.

)O(

The next morning the camp was bustling with the men preparing to leave. Gendry was saddling a horse when he felt something nudge against him. When he turned he was greeted with a slobbering kiss from Nymeria. Gendry laughed and shoved her off. The wolf hopped about, hay tangled in her fur and mud on her paws. Her mistress walked in and stopped in the doorway of the stables when she caught sight of him. Arya scowled and made her way towards a beautiful Dornish Sand Steed.

"M'lady" Gendry said with a bow.

Arya scoffed but did address him as she checked the horse's hooves.

"They offered me a lordship." He said hoping it would draw her attention, but she just continued preparing the horse while Nymeria rested her head at his feet.

"I don't know if I should take it. Mya says that she'll accept legitimization only if I do. I don't know why she's leaving it up to me. She remembers Robert, I don't. To me he was just a selfish king. I don't want to be like him."

"Stupid," Arya muttered and Gendry smiled.

"Jon told me that our father wasn't his and I told him to shut up. Rhaegar may have fathered Jon but he was no father to him. The truth doesn't change the fact that he is my brother, or that Eddard is his father. Robert fathered you but he was no father to you, he didn't raise you, he's not your family. I knew him and I know you and you should know that you are nothing like him."

Gendry couldn't find the words, for the first time in weeks Arya actually spoke to him.

"And Mya is leaving it up to you because she wants you to be her family. Idiot." She didn't look at him while she strapped the saddle on but Gendry noticed her face was flushed.

"I've never had a family." Gendry said sadly.

"And whose fault is that?!" Arya shot back angrily as she led her horse out. Nymeria whined and gave him a final nudge before following her out and leaving Gendry alone.