Gendry

The way to the Vale was not an easy one. The terrain was rocky and they had to move very slowly. The weather was drear and it affected everyone, even the ever cheery prince. Aegon was miserable. Something had happened at the Twins that wiped the smile off the prince's handsome face. Gendry tried to make inquiries on the matter, but it seems that even the know-it-all Jon Connington didn't have a clue.

"Maybe it was the executions, the lad never killed someone outside of a battle, and he insisted on doing that on his own. Yet, he seemed fine after that. It was only when we came back that he became that way" Connington told Haldon when he thought Gendry wasn't listening.

Gendry thought it had something to do with Arya. She was giving Aegon the cold shoulder, acting all formal with him, keeping her distance. Maybe she was still cross with him for not letting her come with him. Or maybe, Gendry hoped, it was the time that they spent together when Aegon was away that changed her, maybe now she had eyes for someone else, for him.

He could tell the prince was infatuated with Arya, he adored the very earth she walked on. He always smiled warmly at her, and Gendry heard him defend her actions whenever Jon was complaining about her (which was a lot). Gendry really liked the prince, it was hard not to. He was a natural leader, kind and wise, charismatic and brave. Where Arya was pure ice, Aegon was lashing fire. Yet it seems that she was the one melting him down. Arya needed the heat of the forge, not the fire of the dragon.

"What do you think about that?" Haldon's voice stirred him out of his thoughts, and Gendry realized that the half-maester must have been talking to him the whole time. Should he confess that he wasn't listening? If he did, he'll get a long speech about how lords have to always be alert or something like that. He should say yes, or no. something vague… "It seems like a good idea" he finally managed. Haldon seemed pleased with his answer, "Great! Then it's settled. Master Vyman will quiz you for all your knowledge and we'll see if you're finally fit to be a lord. And if not, we'll double our efforts while we're there. Splendid! I'll send him a word the minute we set camp" and the half-maester galloped on to see when that will be. Gendry closed his eyes tightly, but I'm not fit to be a lord, I'm hardly fit to be a blacksmith. He's gonna fail that test and then Haldon will look kindly at him, pet him on his back and say that he will do better next time. But he wouldn't, because he was too stupid. Haldon told him that he was doing great, but Gendry knew it was a lie, intending to cheer him up and encourage him to continue in his studies. How could he concentrate on writing and calculating when She was there, looking so beautiful, so inviting. She was much more interesting than learning about how to keep a household. She smiled at him every time he looked at her and it made his heart leap with joy. She rode her horse so perfectly, so graciously. And he adored her. He often thought about asking her to be his lady of Storm's End, she could wear her breeches and practice her sword and horrify all the other ladies . He smiled to himself. "What are you so happy about" Duck asked him "in this weather, it seems like winter is coming all over again. We'll have a cold misty night tonight, we'll see if you keep on smiling when it'll be your turn to watch". While Haldon was teaching him how to be a peaceful lord, Rolly Duckfield was teaching him the art of fighting. At least he was good at that. They found out that he was best with a war hammer, yet he was still good with a sword and he could beat every one of them in wrestling. Aegon told him that if he didn't need him to be a lord, he would've gladly put him in his personal guard. "I draw the first watch, so I don't think the mists will be a problem". He smiled at Duck, who grunted at him "lucky bastard".

"We make camp here" Jon bellowed at them. They were twelve men now (and one woman), after a few joined them a couple of days ago, so they could make camp quite easily. Gendry got off his horse, and started building his tent in the mud.

Darwin came to take his place when his watch was done. Gendry yawned loudly and stretched. It was an easy watch, it wasn't even cold yet. And now he's going to get a long night's sleep. He stretched again and headed for his tent, when suddenly he heard some raised voices from the prince's tent. He looked that way and saw Arya storming out of the tent, all flustered and angry, Nymeria at her heels. She was going into the woods. She shouldn't be alone in there, in this late hour. He took his war hammer and ran after her.

It took him a while to catch up to her, she knew he was following her, yet she wouldn't slow down. "Arya, please stop!" he called, out of breath.

"What?" she turned to him abruptly, and he nearly bumped into her. She put her hands on her hips waiting for an answer. "You shouldn't wander alone so far from camp, these mountains are dangerous ". She rolled her eyes at him "I'm not alone I have Nymeria. And I can take care of myself." She turned from him, her braid slapping his face, he grabbed her arm quickly. "No, you can't. Not when it's raining and you're so angry. You once taught me that when you're with your trouble – more trouble for you, remember? Now tell me what's wrong or I'll get very angry!" he tried a smile on her, and she loosened up a bit in his grip. "Why, everything is just peachy! Gendry. I'm going home. He's gonna send me off to Winterfell where they will treat me like cattle and sell me off to the highest bidder, like I was always meant to be, it's for the good of the realm!" She kicked a small stone that was in front of her and slashed at a nearby bush. He's going to give her back to her family, isn't that what she wanted? "what are you talking about, you're the king's justice", he kept his distance from her, now was not the time for hugging and touching, she may as well cut his arm off in her fury. "He said that my job is done, that now it's just my personal vendetta and not serving the king , that I made it too personal and that he could not risk the peace. Oh, he made it seem like he was doing me a favor, all he wants is to get rid of me" she kicked a tree, making drops of water fall on her face, it made it seem like she's crying. "What did I ever do to him that he would treat me this way"? He can't have you, so he's sending you as far as he can. The fool had lost her, now was his chance. He took her hands in his "Arya, stay with me. When I become a lord in storms end, be my lady, stay with me". She looked up at him, not understanding "Gendry…" she started to withdraw, he let go of her hands and cupped her face with his hands, forcing her to look at him, "come on, we'll have so much fun together, I'll make you happy, I swear. We can be the worst lord and lady the seven kingdoms have ever seen!" he knew it'll make her smile, now give her what she wants the most, "I will never leave you again, Arya". He bent down and kissed her, she was tensed at first, but then she started responding to him, bringing her hands around his neck. She was sweet and fierce at the same time; she was everything he dreamt about and more. His hands moved to her waist, as he deepened the kiss. She was his, finally. His right hand moved down to grab her ass and it made her break the kiss, looking angrily at him and pushing him back. Gendry was mad at himself, what was he thinking, moving so fast, it was probably the first time anyone had ever kissed her. "I'm sorry" he said taking a step towards her, but she just punched him hard on the shoulder, "what's your problem, why does everyone keep kissing me! I'm not some helpless maiden waiting to be rescued by a knight in a shining armor!" she gave a frustrated grunt and kicked his leg. Gendry just gave her a look full of hurt. He kissed her, that's what happened to him, the reason he was so sad, the reason he wanted her away. you haven't won her yet, you stupid bastard, did you really think it was that easy?

An sharp pain pierced his left arm. He looked down and saw an arrow popping from his arm.

"Gendry!" he managed to hear Arya scream before the tribe people were on them in full force, there were more than fifty, huge and ugly. He saw Arya slashing with her sword left and right. He took his hammer and started flinging it at the savage men, but they kept on coming. He stood back to back with Arya, like Duck had taught him, and was trying his best to ignore the pain in his arm, and in his heart. Nymeria was there too, ripping at the scared men, but they just kept coming. He got separated from Arya, when a large man punched him so hard he lost his footing and another grabbed her foot and knocked her down. "I've got you, you little cunt. There is no rescue for you little maiden, you're camp was destroyed. No more." the man opened his mouth to laugh, but Nymeria got him and ripped at his throat. Gendry didn't have time to be disgusted by it, he was smashing skulls right and left, trying to get back to Arya's side. He heard her calling Nymeria "Go, go! Protect Aegon! Go!" the direwolf was gone, and he knew that now they were truly lost. She values his life more than her own, more than mine. He kept on fighting; he didn't even have a place to move with all the corpses piling on the ground. He heard Arya scream in pain and saw that some man had slashed at her leg. The man was swinging his big club at her head, when Gendry jumped in front of her and took the blow.

Everything went dark.