Hello everyone.

Hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Like I said before I am completely new to writing so if there's problems with continuity or if its repetitive I apologize. Please comment if you have any constructive criticism or if you just like the story. Happy Reading!

Chapter 2

Once again Arya felt herself missing his presence as she rode on her horse alone. They often rode together, fighting about who got to take the reigns. That was the pair of them, a stupid bull headed boy and a stubborn wolf girl. She liked that about him though. She knew he would do anything for her, but he never treated her like some fragile little thing, they were always equals even though he was older than her. This made her remember something.

"His name day would have passed." she said to Anguy who was riding alongside her.

"Thinking about the bull boy," he said "Aye well I guess he hasn't been a boy for quiet some time now. He'll be 2 and 20 now."

Arya thought on this. He was right Gendry wasn't a boy. It was hard to think of this because he had just been 7 and 10 when they met and as stupid as ever. They had both grown up by each other's side and hadn't noticed. Arya tried to picture the last time she saw him. Sure he had gotten taller and his muscles had grown from always smithing. She thought about how his features hardened even more making him look even angrier than before, but this only seemed to draw people (especially women) in even more.

"Don't worry Arya." Anguy said a hint of bitterness in his voice." You'll be reunited soon and we'll have a proper celebration for his missed name day.

"Right." Said Tom who had come up alongside them. "We'll get the lad a proper meal, plenty of ale and all the whores he could handle."

Both men laughed heartily knowing full well Gendry had never bedded a whore in any of the many brothels they had frequented.

This wasn't due to lack of interest by either side. Women were always flirting with Gendry he just never seemed interested. Arya knew this had to do with his fear of bringing a bastard into this world, but always wondered if there was another reason.

He certainly liked women. She had asked him so once after he had turned down a girl at the brothel.

"What makes you think I don't!" he screeched obviously angered by her question.

"Well all the other men always seem to find some whore to share their bed with no matter where we go and you never do," Arya said.

"Well that's because my bed is always crowded with the likes of you" Gendry said as he took a long swig from his mug, his cheeks turning a bit red.

"Don't blame it on me!" Arya's voice began to rise " I can sleep somewhere else while you ring whoever's bells you want!"

"And then whose bed would you pray sleep in then?" He asked trying to call her bluff.

"Maybe I'll find a NICE boy to keep me warm for a change." She began to blush as she heard the double meaning to her words. She was becoming defensive and knew she was bound to lash out.

" You obviously need to bed someone soon because you've been nothing but irritable this week." She said taking a sip from her own tankard.

"That's because you've been nothing but a pain in my arse" He said smirking watching her face redden even more with anger.

" Well you certainly need some whore's help taking care of that! I'm sure you're tired of having to take yourself in your own hand every morning" She said shouting so loud that everyone at their table turned their way and began hooting with laughter.

The color drained from his face. He looked every part of the Bull.

Arya had regretted it the minute she had said it. She knew it wasn't his fault. After all he was a boy and boys couldn't always control their stupid cocks. She remembers Theon telling her brother Robb many times about the dreams he would have at night and the effect they had on his manhood when he woke up. Plus Gendry always came back in a better mood when he relieved himself from the bugle in his breeches, even though he thought Arya had been unaware of his task.

Just as Gendry never held being a girl against her she never really meant to hold being a boy, as stupid as he was, against him.

She opened her mouth to apologize but was cut off with his gruff voice.

"Maybe I will find that pretty black-haired lass and ring her bells." he said low in her ear in a voice she had only heard him use when threatening others. " I'll leave you to whatever sorry excuse for a man would want to have you in his bed for the night"

Without a second thought she raised her hand and punched him in the side of his face and stormed off outside off outside of the inn. The cool night air did little to calm her.

Anger she could handle, but she wasn't so angry as much as she was hurt. Gendry had never said anything that harsh to her. He knew everything about her especially about her life as a child in Winterfell. She had always felt inferior to Sansa in every way possible.

She let out a heavy sigh not wanting to give into her tears. She already knew she wasn't even remotely pretty and that men only looked at her because she was the only option ,but she didn't need to hear that especially from her supposed friend. She knew she would have to walk back to the dining hall to retreat into her room and took one more breath before turning back to the inn.

Arya made her way quickly up the stairs and couldn't help give a quick glance at Gendry. There was the girl sitting on his lap with a bag of ice against his cheek.

"I hope he gets a bruise," she said aloud once in the empty room.

She began to undress and saw her reflection in the mirror. She titled her head sideways analyzing her body. She certainly wasn't the scrawny girl who had once passed as a boy. She had hips that curved a good amount and her breasts had grown and filled her two hands when she cupped them. Her face had also sharpened while still remaining soft. She pushed back some of the stray hairs that had escaped her braid. Many had said how she was the spitting image of her aunt Lyanna, but she was a great beauty and Arya would always be Arya Horseface.

It mattered not. Arya thought to herself. Sansa could be the beautiful lady of Winterfell she would be their fiercest warrior. Besides what did beauty matter when you had your dagger on someone's throat.

Arya had crawled into bed, still hearing the laughter below her. She had begun to shiver a bit when the door opened a crack. A figure crossed the room and began to undress. She kept her back to the figure as she heard him crawl under the covers and felt a tentative arm wrap around her midsection pulling her in.

"I'm sorry," he whispered in her ear. "You know I say stupid things when I'm angry.

"Only when your angry?" her mood had improved at the thought of the girl sitting alone downstairs.

He laughed quietly.

"No I suppose I'm always saying stupid things" He said with a smile in his voice.

"Arya?"

"Hmm" she responded as her eyes fluttered close.

" Any man would be honored to have you in their bed,but I want you in mine," He said softly "So I can protect you" he added on more to himself than to her.

She gave no response but shifted deeper into his embrace. Falling into a deep sleep with the rhymic pattern of his breath warm on her neck.

The sudden jolt from under her broke her from these thoughts. Her horse had stopped trotting and so had the rest of the brotherhood.

"We shouldn't all head in like a bloody army," said Tom. "I'll look around with a few men and the rest of you can set up camp"

"You even stupider than the rest of them if you think I'm not going with you" Arya said angrily. "I'm not going just wait around camp"

"Never thought anything of the sort," said Tom with a twinkle in his eye. "Tie up your horse then girl, we'll go on foot."

As they walked Arya tried to not get her hopes up. The was a chance that someone had been trying to lure them in with the promise of Gendry or perhaps they just saw the wrong boy. But the more they walked towards the dock the faster her heart began to beat. He would be there and he would be fine. He survived Harenhal, he could survive this she thought chewing on her bottom lip.

The docks had been empty so they turned their search to the crowded streets. Through all the noise of the bustling alley she heard the repetitive clang of metal. She followed the sound quickening her steps until the found the source.

She stood their paused staring a figure twice her size with black hair and arm raised ready to strike the metal once more until he raised his striking blue eyes.

"Arya" he breathed.