Chapter 6

Arya awoke the next morning to still find Gendry in her arms. She had lost him for a bit but he was back, she knew it in her heart. She looked down at his sleeping figure and her stomach flipped. She thought about the day she would return to Winterfell and he by her side, but as what. The thought had never crossed her mind before, whenever she saw herself back home he was there with her, but what would he be to her. A knight? A blacksmith? A brother? She thought of Jon. She missed him the most and the thought of seeing him made her heart soar, but not in the same way it made her feel when she thought about never seeing Gendry again. With Gendry it was different, she shared everything with him and it was him that brought her peace by just sleeping next to her. She looked down surprised to find his blue eyes open, the cloudiness slowly disappearing from them.

"Good morning" he said not moving from their shared warmth. Just looking at her, hair mused and sleep still in her eyes he felt at peace. She had been right, with her he could find hope yet again.

She smiled down at the sight of his black hair sticking up at all ends. A sure sign he had slept well through the night.

His smiled seemed to fade quickly as realization drew on his face. He brought his hand to the back of his neck rubbing it nervously.

"Look Arya." He began "About last night I'm sorry if I scared you with..."

He had no time to react as Arya brought her fist swiftly down punching him hard on his jaw.

"What the seven hells was that for!" he said sitting up in pain.

"You stupid bull. When have we ever been sorry for telling each other anything" she said " Besides, if you start apologizing for anything that just means I have to start apologizing to you and we all know my list is twice as long"

" My apologizes M'lady" he said laughing " But you didn't have to punch so hard" Gendry said wincing as his hand rubbed his sore jaw

" Oh I'm sure we'll need a Maester to tend to such a wound." She said mockingly " Or perhaps I should kiss it to make it better."

She leaned down and placed her lips softly on his jawline. She lingered there a moment as her eyes closed.

They both froze and she quickly raised her face to see his had turned a bright shade of red.

What had possessed her to do that she thought. Wait was that something they didn't do? She wasn't sure. Her mind was clouded with thoughts but she would let none of it be known to him. Damn him for making this awkward.

"Now should I send for Maester or do you think you can survive the day." Sarcasm dripping from her voice as she quickly recovered.

Gendry just shook his head chuckling. Getting up to stretch. His own thoughts circling around his head.

Had she ever kissed him before? Was she just joking or did last night change anything. He shook his head if it's was not out of jest then it was pity and he preferred it to be the former. Nothing would change her feelings overnight and nothing would ever change the fact he was a bastard.

A royal bastard. The thought crossed his mind. Did this change anything, would there even be the slightest chance he could be with Arya. Gendry chastised himself for even letting the thought cross his mind, even if it did change anything it didn't mean that Arya would want to be with him, especially after how he had been acting. He was a Baratheon through and through thinking with his cock rather than his head.

"Good Morning Arya, Gendry!" said a chipper voice.

Gendry looked up from the forest floor to see Ned standing above him , a bright smile illuminating his face.

"Ned!" Arya said brightly as she got up and moved closer to the pair.

"Lord Starfall" Gendry said in a low mocking voice.

Arya gave him a quick kick to the back of his shin and Gendry winced.

Ned, completly unaware as always, began telling the pair of his most recent adventure as Arya hung on every word. He might have not bathed with Arya, but Gendry could find another reason to resent him soon enough.

The trio headed over to the group, who were already busy with the days work ahead.

"And sounds like you've been having your own adventures, Aye Gendry." Ned said raising his eyebrows.

Well there was his reason.

Gendry just gave a grunt in response and Arya and Edric broke into laughter.

Gendry had remained in a sour mood all day. It seemed as though even though he tried to busy himself in his work. Ned was always close with Arya at his side hanging on every word eager to hear of his adventures.

Why she was even interested in hearing his stories was a mystery to him. Gendry had fixed his sword enough times to know that Ned knew absolutely nothing about handling a weapon.

Even as they gathered around the fire at night, Gendry busied himself with cooking the rabbits that Arya and Anguy had caught earlier. He had hoped to busy himself to avoid Ned, but was glad to see him nowhere insight, with Arya sitting with the other members of the Brotherhood.

Gendry couldn't hear their conversation, but knew they were discussing the rumors that Jon Snow was alive and had reclaimed Winterfell. It was the only thing Arya had managed to talk to him about all day.

"Whether the rumors are not true you'll be leaving soon enough to, lass." Lem stated.

"Of course not, why would I. " Arya said rolling her eyes.

"Why your long overdue for for marriage, should've been married years ago if your father was still alive.

"Jon would never...he would never make me. And no one else would dare." said Arya seething.

"Aye, I may not know the Jon Snow as well as you do, but any Lord with you as a bargaining chip could get any alliance in the Seven Kingdoms" said Lem winking at her.

Arya pretended to busy herself with polishing her didn't even blush at Lem's comment as he stomach lurched at the thought It was true Jon would never make her, but did that mean that he wouldn't want her to. Would a marriage protect more people than her sword ever could. All her life she vowed to remain unwed, but now that seemed... well, childish. She had always thought of Sansa to be the weaker of the two, willing to be traded into marriage and bare children for whatever house would prove the most beneficial. Arya on the other hand would fight and kill if necessary, but was was one body on a battlefield compared to hundreds of soldiers that would be loyal to the North through marriage.

Arya could feel the tears beginning to form behind her eyes. She pictured herself a wife of some old fat lord. He would make her trade in her tunics for dresses and sword for children. Everything she had survived had been for not if she would just be confined to a loveless marriage, forced to bear children like some prized cattle.

"Well the Lord's may not think marriage so advantageous when they are on the receiving end of my Needle." said Arya doing he best to hold back tears.

And with that the group burst into laughter, giving her the opportunity to slink off unnoticed.

As she walked through the forest at night she was glad the full moon lit her path, truly though she could have found her way even if she was blind.

She wanted nothing more than to be alone, but as she came upon the lake she found Ned practicing with his sword.

"Arya!" said Ned flustered to have been caught. " I was just ...ummm...practicing... because you know I'm not that good...and they all laugh" he said in a rush.

"It's alright" said Arya with a half smile "I won't tell"

"What not jokes, no offer to show me up" said Ned smiling. " Something must be wrong"

Her silence answered for her and Ned's smile fell.

What is it Arya? What's wrong?" said Ned.

They were by the lake and could hear owls hooting overhead. Despite Gendry's abhorance of the boy, Arya actually liked Ned. Maybe it was just because he bore her fathers name, but she trusted him.

Arya took a seat on a nearby log and blurted out all her tangled thoughts. She still tried to hold back tears, as she recounted the conversation with Lem.

It wasn't the same as talking with Gendry. With Gendry she didn't have to filter her thoughts. He knew her at her worst as she did him. When she was fire, he was ice. When his anger blinded him, she could see clearly for clashed as much as the complimented each other. But with Ned it was simpler, he always listened attentively and gave her practical advice, instead of thinking with his emotions.

When she reached the end of her rant, she let out a puff of air burying her face in her her hands.

Being a woman was miserable.

"Well I guess you're right." said Ned thoughtfully. "As a lady your of much more use as a bride than a solider."

Arya shot a glare at him.

"But a husband is of no use if you kill him" said Ned laughing, happy to see a slight smile upon Arya's lips.

" Let's just say I agree to marriage." said Arya " The what, I'm no good at pretending to be some lovesick maiden, how will pretend all my life, how can I lay with some old grimy lord?"

"How could I even bare to kiss him" she almost whispered.

" Are you telling me Arya Stark is afraid?!" said Ned teasingly "The woman who could best any man in the brotherhood, the woman who commands men twice her size to do her bidding...the woman who could have any man in the Seven Kingdoms she wanted in a minute.

Arya rolled her eyes at the comment. Only to find his purple eyes still trained on her. They were actually quiet beautiful.

Arya kept her eyes on him as she memorized his features. He had a strong jaw, fair skin and wavy blonde hair that any lady would swoon over. This made her even more miserable, Even if she weren't to be married off to some old husband, but a young handsome one it made no difference, it would be a loveless marriage and she would no longer be Arya Stark...could she live with that?

Arya brought her hand up to Ned's cheek. Her silver eyes gazing into his purple ones as she leaned in noticing his sharp intake of breath. As much as she talked and joked with the other men she was a maiden in every sense of the word and willed herself to lean even more into him.

He was too much a gentleman to continue her action, so she brought her lips to his.

His lips remained firm against hers as she tried to coax him along, grateful that the feeling so far had not been completely unpleasant.

She could hear him sigh as he parted his lips leaning into her as he began to reciprocate her actions.

Unlike Sansa she never wasted much time fantasizing about her first kiss, thankfully so because the stories had proven wrong. The world had not stopped around her the moment their lips met. It was just...nice.

Arya could feel his hand begin to slide down her side landing on her waist and wondered if he heard her gulp.

"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM HER!" shouted a voice.

Hi Everyone!

So sorry about the long delay! I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoy writing it. I'm going to start writing on Archive of Our Own as I like the format a bit better, but will finish this story on here. Be sure to look out for other stories on AO3 under the same username! As always comments are always appreciated.