"We must name a new Warden of the East, your Grace." Varys said after they had all settled down for the meeting.
Gendry glared at him until he realized his mistake. Varys corrected, "Gendry."
The king nodded and replied, "You are right. But who is the question."
Everyone sat in thought for a moment. Brienne said, "Any but Petyr Baelish."
Most nodded in agreement. Theobald chimed in, "Nor the current Lord of the Vale, that sickly, young Robert Arryn."
They were all surprised when Edric spoke up, "What of releasing Stannis Baratheon and sending him to Dragonstone to rule?" They all looked at him stunned: first, for the fact that he had spoken during a meeting; second for his suggestion.
"It wouldn't be your most controversial decision, Gendry." Varys said. "You did appoint Sansa Stark as the Wardeness of the North."
"Sansa Stark is the eldest living Stark and the Starks rule the North." Gendry said, giving Varys a dangerous look.
"Do you not think that your feelings for the younger Stark girl have swayed your decision in the matter, your Grace?" Varys asked.
Gendry ignored his used of 'your Grace' and rose from his seat halfway, bracing himself on the table. When he spoke, he shot venom with every word. "My feelings for Arya Stark do not sway any decision that I make. I made that decision before she even came from Braavos. Don't you dare say that I'm letting my emotions cloud my judgement. I can replace you in an instant, Varys. I overlooked your disloyalty to the crown when you went and joined Daenerys Targaryen's council in the east. You came back after I took the throne and begged for your job back. You're lucky I am forgiving, Lord Varys. I'll send you back to Daenerys and you can help her rule Essos."
Varys shook his head. "Essos doesn't agree with me, the politics aren't intriguing enough, my lord."
"Then hold your tongue on matters that you know nothing about." Gendry said, taking his seat at last.
After a long, awkward pause, Edric said, "Stannis Baratheon for Warden of the East, yeah?"
"Yes. I will release him myself." Gendry said, his eyes trained hard on the Spider. "We're done for today."
As Gendry made his leave, Varys attempted conversation with him but Gendry ignored the Spider until he gave up. He exited the Great Hall into the outer yard and started across it to Traitor's Walk and the dungeons, Ser Podrick Payne following him at a distance.
Sitting on a half-wall was Arya Stark. She was watching a one-eared black tomcat lick its paw a few feet away. He approached her cautiously and it was a few moments before she took notice of him but, when she did, he saw tears in her eyes. He stood there and waited for her to speak first.
"When I came here with my father and sister over four years ago, my father hired me what we called a dancing instructor upon discovering my sword, Needle. He wanted me to train properly since I refused to relinquish the blade. Syrio Forel was his name. He was a Braavosi master fencer and the former First Sword of Braavos. He taught me the water dance. He had me do all sorts of things to train the Braavosi way: balance on one foot, walk blindfolded, catch cats.
"This one here was the most difficult of all. I finally caught him after a chase throughout what seemed the entirety of the Keep. But Myrcella and Tommen, so young then, caught me and demanded to know what I was doing. I looked worse than I had on the road with you and Yoren, if you can believe it. They were going to throw me out like a common beggar but I escaped with the mindset Syrio had taught me."
Gendry already had figured out the answer to the question before he asked it but did so anyway. "What became of Syrio?"
"Killed by Lannister men when Jaime Lannister attacked my father in the streets, wounding him. The queen demanded that my sister and I be brought to her. Syrio protected me, telling me to flee and hide. That's when I was forced to hide for the remainder of my time in King's Landing until I left with Yoren."
After your father was beheaded on a Lannister king's order, Gendry thought. No wonder you hate the lot of them. Gendry sighed and took her hand. "I understand why you feel how you do about the Lannisters but the two we have in King's Landing are the nicest of them all. Tommen has done nothing wrong, Arya. Give him a chance. Allow Lord Jaime to redeem himself. For me. Please, Arya."
"Why do you care? Why are you siding with the Lannisters?" Arya asked, pulling away from him.
"I'm not siding with them. Jaime surrendered without bloodshed in the Red Keep. He saved countless lives. Tommen surrendered the crown without a fight too." Gendry said.
"So? You feel you owe them for surrendering peacefully? That is not something that you owe, Gendry!" Arya said, getting upset again.
Gendry took her hand and held it tighter when she tried to pull it away. "I don't feel I owe them a thing. If anything, they owe me. No, they did me a great service in surrendering peacefully. I feel that they deserve some respect for that. There is honor in ending a war peacefully, Arya."
She said smugly, "Fine. But I won't like it."
He kissed her forehead. "There's the Arya I know." He stepped back from her and motioned for Podrick to join him, he had kept out of earshot for their sake. To Arya, he said, "I must go. But, there will be a feast tonight in honor of you and our guests. I will see you there."
Arya attempted a smile as he left. Podrick fell into stride with the king. Gendry said, "Podrick, I will want to speak to my uncle alone. You may stand outside the door but I don't expect any trouble from Stannis."
"Yes, your Grace." Podrick said, nodding.
They entered the dungeons and upon passing the first level, Gendry was pleased with how few prisoners remained there. Most had chosen the Wall instead of beheading. Only a hundred or so of the two thousand of Stannis' men they had managed to capture had chosen the blade. They continued to the second level where highborns were given their own cells. Stannis' was one of the first cells in the row. Gendry announced his arrival by way of knocking on the door. He unlocked the door with the key the chief gaoler had given him.
Podrick remained outside as promised and Gendry entered the dimly lit room, the only source of light the flickering torch in the hall outside. Stannis sat with his back against the wall, legs drawn against his chest. One hand and one foot were chained.
"Come to take me to my death?" Stannis said, his voice weak. Gendry wondered how much they had been feeding him. He pulled the horn from his side and offered it to the man. Stannis just looked at him but after that second's pause, he took the horn and drank it as if he was dying of thirst. Gendry thought that he very well might be.
When he had all but emptied the horn, Stannis said, "So, not to my death then."
"What makes you think that?" Gendry asked.
"You wouldn't give drink to someone you're about to execute, your Grace."
Gendry nodded. "You're right, I wouldn't. Unless it was meant to trick you."
Stannis wasn't amused. ""What will you do with my men?" His uncle asked, eyes trained on him.
"They had the option of the Wall or their head on a spike." Gendry said simply. He was calm as he talked to the prisoner.
Stannis nodded. "That's fair." After a moment, he added, "You say 'had.' You've already given them this option, yes?"
"Yes. Most chose the Wall and are on their way now. The others await execution."
Stannis nodded and without a moment's pause continued, "And what of me? Am I to take the black as well?"
Gendry shook his head and Stannis' head dropped. He spoke before Gendry could. "My head then, you were jesting. Also fair, your Grace."
Gendry stared at him for a long moment before he found his voice. "No. You are Lord Stannis Baratheon of Dragonstone, Warden of the East."
Stannis stared at him blankly. "You honor me beyond words, your Grace. We were commanding armies to slaughter each other on the battlefield not three moons ago and here you are, giving me the East."
"You fought for what you believed right. You thought you had the best claim to the throne. I have the best claim to the throne, uncle." Gendry said, as if it were that simple.
"Aye, you do." Stannis said, nodding.
Gendry leaned down and unlocked Stannis' shackles. "You're free to go. We're having a feast tonight. Shireen is keen on going, we would be honored if you would attend."
Stannis nodded and followed Gendry out of the cell. Podrick brought up the rear as the three men exited the dungeons.
The feast was set and everyone was waiting for him by the time he arrived later that night. They rose for him until he took his seat. He still hadn't gotten used to that. Arya was on his right, Mya next to her, Edric next to her, and Shireen Baratheon next to him. On his left was Jaime Lannister, Tommen Lannister, Stannis Baratheon, and Ser Davos Seaworth. The rest of the table was filled with his Kingsguard and small council. Other members of the court were at tables elsewhere in the hall and soon the room was full of chatter of a hundred voices.
Edric and Shireen were lost in conversation, Gendry was jealous of the cousins for having spent time together. He had spent relatively little time with Shireen since she had been with them in King's Landing, and he regretted that greatly. She would be leaving with her father within the fortnight.
Davos and Stannis seemed to have much to talk about, they were very close at one point in time.
Gendry's eyes fell upon Arya, who had barely touched her venison and barley soup. She was holding her knife upright on the tabletop, staring right at Jaime Lannister. Gendry kicked Arya's leg lightly under the table but she ignored him and continued her death glare at the elder Lannister.
"Go ahead, wolf-girl. See how far you get. I may have one hand but I can still put you in your place." Jaime said lazily, dipping his spoon into the soup and raising it to his lips. He drank it down and watched Arya as she lowered the knife and picked up her spoon instead. "Good. Now, Arya, what would you say to ending the feud our houses have?"
"I don't know if that's a possibility, Lord Jaime." Arya said, remembering her training from her septon years ago. It was like Gendry was looking at another woman. Then she said something that made him remember exactly who she was. "Your family murdered half of my family."
Nymeria, standing next to Arya's chair, let out a growl. Gendry ran a hand over her fur, trying to sooth her. Nymeria sat back down and allowed the king to scratch her ears.
"Arya," Jaime began, his voice as soft as silk. "I'm trying to apologize for what I have done. I'm sorry for crippling young Brandon. I was lost in a moment of passion and thought it the only way to keep my secret, but that was known soon enough anyway. I'm sorry I attacked your father in the street, it was reckless. All of the acts I committed during the war were for House Lannister and the crown, they cannot be held against me. The gods made me pay for the sins of my past with my hand. Is that not enough?"
Arya mulled it over as she stared hard at the golden haired man. "The lion and the wolf were never meant to be friends." She looked at Tommen, who looked saddened by the whole exchange. "But, since neither of you are Joffrey or Cersei or Tywin, I think the Starks of Winterfell can make an exception."
The former king's face lit up.