The end is drawing nearer and nearer! I just want to thank all of you for sticking with me for all this time - you are the best!

Chapter 27

Arya

The transition from being on the road to living in a castle was huge, and Arya soon found herself bored out of her mind. Gendry's leg was still too sore to use, and her mother kept her inside most of the time. However, Arya would sneak out and practice on water dance with Syrio, or duel with Rickon. Every night after supper, she would stop by the forge and visit Gendry. They had started on reading lessons, and although Arya was much too impatient to be a good teacher, he was making progress. But whenever Catelyn forced her to stay inside, Arya usually spent her time cuddling with Atheena. They received a letter from Sansa telling them she had given birth to a beautiful Baby boy called Espan.

Merida had gotten a position as a maid as Arya had promised her, and Talla was grateful to have a maid who was good with her daughter as well as obedient and polite. Catelyn had suggested that Talla could find a wet nurse for the babe, but Talla insisted on feeding her herself, believing it would bring mother and daughter closer.

But most of the time, Catelyn had Arya follow her around all day, learning what a lady of a castle had to do. Arya hated those lessons, but the more she complained, the more she had to watch her mother do pointless stuff with the servants.

The best about being back home was sleeping in her old bed, although it seemed awfully big when Nymeria was not sleeping in it with her. She missed her direwolf very much, and hated herself for bringing her along. She would have been safe had she been left at Winterfell.

It was on her third week back that Robb returned from the capital. There were held no feast for his arrival, but the whole family gathered in the great hall to eat supper together while listening to his stories. When he heard what Stannis had done to her and Gendry, he had raged and threatened to rip the king's lungs out. But Arya managed to talk him out of it, telling him of the witch who would deifinitely see his attack coming. They were chanceless against him, and so Robb let it go, or at least he pretended to, but Arya could sense the bitterness in his words as he agreed to leave the king alone.

His face when he first took a look at his baby girl was unforgettable. His eyes had lit up in pride and he had not been able to utter a single word while holding the babe in his arms. And for a few days after his return, Winterfell seemed almost as it used to before everyone got obsessed with marriages and duties. But when Catelyn suggested that Arya traveled with Robb and Talla to Horn Hill to visit her parents, Arya released her stubborn monster, and all hell broke loose.

"I won't marry him!" she yelled, crossing her arms. "How many times must we go over this, mother!"

"You will do as I tell you," Catelyn insisted. "As far as the Tarly's know, you are an eager bride-to-be who can't wait to marry their son."

Arya looked at Bran for support, but he simply shook his head and looked down at his hands. Rickon hurried to finish his breakfast before he almost ran out of the great hall. Robb and Talla looked curiously at them as Arya and Catelyn scowled at each other.

"If you force me to marry that fool, I swear I will run away again, and this time I will not return!" Arya shrieked, jumping to her feet. Catelyn stood up as well, hurrying after her.

"No you will not, young lady! It is time to put this attitude of yours to rest; you are a lady of WInterfell and you are to marry a lord!"

Arya looked at Robb, perhaps he would take her side on this. To her relief, Robb stood up and walked over to Catelyn, whispering something in her ear. Catelyn jerked around and stared at him.

"What do you mean?" she asked. Robb said something under his breath, and they emerged from the room in a matter of seconds. As soon as her mother was gone, Arya sank down on the bench, burying her face in her palms.

"Why doesn't she understand?" she asked Bran who was stroking her back sympathetically.

"She only wants what she believes is the best for you," he said quietly.

"Robb will make her see," Talla smiled, rocking Atheena in her arms. "Don't worry, Arya, she'll come around eventually."

When maester Luwin finally gave him permission to use the leg, Arya stopped by the forge to help him to recovery. They started with walking around the kitchen, but soon learned that it was much too small. The yard was too muddy and slippery, and Arya suggested they snuck into the castle and practiced in the corridor outside her room.

As Lady Catelyn was busy doing whatever was expected of a lady, Arya managed to get Gendry in through the side door without being noticed by anyone. She half-carried him up the stairs, but as they reached the corridor, she told him to walk by his own. As he put his weight on the wounded foot, his face turned into an agonizing grimace, and he fell to the ground. Arya caught him just before he hit the wall, and helped him back up. They practiced throughout the evening, only interrupted by Rickon as he passed them on his way to his room. Luckily, Rickon only gave them a knowing smile and disappeared again without as much as a word. Arya seriously doubted he would tell on her.

By the end of the day, Gendry managed to take a few steps on his leg, before having to transfer his weight onto the other. Arya was so relieved to see him walk she wanted to dance around, cheering; he was not a cripple – she had not ruined his life. The scars on his face seemed to fade as well, and were not as pronounced as before.

"Arya?" a voice called from the bottom of the stairs. Arya froze and listened to her mother's steps as she climbed the stone steps.

"Quick, in here," she told Gendry and pushed him into her room. "Under the bed!" Gendry obeyed and was soon out of sight. Arya seated herself in a chair by the window and put a book in her lap, pretending to read. When her mother entered, Arya looked up in surprise.

"We need to talk," Catelyn said and sat down on the bed, motioning for Arya to sit next to her. Arya did as she was told and looked upon her mother's gentle face. She already knew what this was about, and cursed herself for hiding Gendry inside her room; he should not need to hear what her mother had to say about him. He deserved better.

"It's about the blacksmith," her mother started.

"He's got a name," Arya replied in a harsh voice. "Gendry. His name is Gendry."

Sighing, her mother took her hand in hers. "Gendry," she repeated, smiling slightly. "I'm afraid I have judged him much too soon. You were right, Arya. I was prejudice because he's a bastard, but-"

Arya snorted. So Catelyn knew of his origins. That was the only reason why her mother would suddenly approve of him. She knew he was of royal blood, and suddenly everything was okay.

"Who told you?" Arya demanded.

"What?"

"I know you know, mother. Who told you?"

Catelyn let go of her hands and paced around the room. "Robb did. It was because of Gendry your father left for the capital."

"I know," Arya said, her voice poisonous. It was not Gendry her mother accepted; it was his royal blood.

"This changes everything, Arya. Why did you not tell me earlier?"

Arya bit her lip. She had to play this right, or else her mother might change her mind. "Because he's in danger."

Catelyn nodded. "So your brother said. What I don't understand is why you felt like you couldn't trust me with such a secret. Were you afraid I'd tell the queen of his locations?"

"Yes."

Catelyn sank down in the chair, clutching her hands together in her lap. "Have I really given you such an impression that I would be willing to sacrifice a man's life just to keep the two of you apart?" when Arya did not reply, Catelyn buried her face in her palm, shaking slightly. "I'm sorry, Arya. I realize I have been much too hard on you. I've been blinded by what I thought would be the best for you – I did not see, but now I do. If you truly want to marry the smith, I will not stand in your way."

Arya looked skeptically at her. "What's the catch?" she asked.

Catelyn stared at her in disbelief. "After all this, do you still think-"

"Yes, I do think there is something more buried beneath your words. Perhaps I should clarify a few things for you, mother. Although he is the eldest son of Robert Baratheon, he is still bastard born and unless he is legitimized he has no claim to the throne what so ever. And even if he did, Gendry wants to be king just as much as I wish to be a queen. We will live in no castle, and he will continue his trade as a smith because that is his true passion."

Catelyn startled slightly by her words. "Why live as common people when you could have a king legitimize him?"

Arya groaned and crossed her arms stubbornly. "Did you not hear what I said? Gendry doesn't care about a stupid iron throne."

"Are you sure about that, sweetheart? Perhaps he says so now, but the possibility for power changes people."

Arya glared at her mother. Gendry wasn't like that.

"He could make a deal with his uncles – they will give him a castle as long as he promises not to claim the throne, I'm sure of it. You need not live as a low-born, Arya. "

"Why don't we ask Gendry what he wants?" Arya suggested, and before her mother could reply, Arya crouched down on the floor and pulled Gendry out from under the large bed. His tunic was covered in dust and his hair completely disheveled as Arya helped him to his feet.

"Arya!" Catelyn gasped, standing up. Gendry looked slightly uncomfortable as Arya put her arm around his waist and stared daringly at her mother.

"Tell her, Gendry. Tell her that you wish no part in the game of thrones."

Gendry bowed politely. "All I wish is your daughter's hand, my lady."

Catelyn pursed her lips, staring angrily at them, but she had given them permission, and there was nothing she could do anymore.

After Arya followed Gendry home, she wrote a long letter to Sansa, telling her everything about her latest adventure. Perhaps her sister could be the answer to her prayers.

Two weeks later a raven came from king's landing with letters both to Robb and to Arya's surprise, Gendry. She recognized her father's writing, and hid the letter carefully in her pocket. Although her mother was no longer as persistent to put a stopper to Arya and Gendry's relationship, Arya knew she had to be careful. After handing the note to Robb, she sprinted across the yard and into the forge without even knocking. Gendry had started to work again; only a few hours a day, of course, but enough to tire him down. As she showed him the letter, he told Mikken he needed a break and climbed the stairs after Arya. As Myra was not at home, they could read the letter in peace by the kitchen table.

"Read it," Arya urged. Gendry stared at the letter, rubbing his chin.

"It's about my mum," he stated. "I recognized her name! Arya, read it out loud, will you?"

Arya jerked the letter out of his hand and started to read, her eyes growing blurrier and blurrier as tears welled up in them. Gendry listened in silence.

It was the story of his mother's death, retold by her father. She frequently glanced up at Gendry to see his reaction, but his face was blank. She read on about how his mother had sacrificed his life for him, about Dimia, the alehouse owner's wife, and about Tobho's offer to teach him forging. But it was the last sentences that ca

ught Arya by surprise.

"Gendry," she said quietly. "You have a brother!"

Gendry snorted. "I've got lots of brothers. The king fucked any woman willing to do him."

"No, I mean you've got a brother by your mother, Emeline."

Gendry glanced at the note, narrowing his eyes as he tried to read. "Does it say who he is?"

"Father doesn't know."

As she finished reading the letter, Gendry looked at it for several minutes in utter silence. He glanced at the delicate writing and stroked his mother's name gently.

"She saved my life," he said in a thick voice.

"She loved you," Arya told him and kissed his hand. "You were never alone, Gendry. All this time, there have been people looking out for you; your mother, Dimia, Tobho and now you have me." Gendry looked at her, his lips twisting into a smile.

"I love you," he whispered and cupped her chin, pulling her closer. Their lips met, and Arya felt the familiar sensation rush through her.

"You're my smith," she told him as they broke apart, kissing his nose.

"And you're my lady."

Wow, mushy. haha. whatever, they're in love. people are allowed to be mushy when in love.