Arya
The two of them had fallen into a routine. They'd wake up, eat breakfast, drive for hours, then eat lunch. Then drive some more before setting camp for the night. There were hours spent of them having conversations in the car, and even more conversations by the fire. That night the two of them were roasting marshmallows, Arya convinced Gendry to try hunting for squirrels. Trying to set up a trap in the dead of the night, Gendry ended up stabbing his toe. The following morning Arya tried convincing Gendry to let her drive. He was very much against it at first, but agreed to it in the end.
The day after, Arya tried fishing again, this time being more successful. Catching a medium-sized fish, Arya watched Gendry's shocked expression as she began gutting it. He then told her that he thought he'd never see a day when a girl would willingly gut a fish. She just laughed at his comment. She seemed to be doing a lot of that lately, laughing. Sometimes it was because of something stupid Gendry would do (like stab his toe), but most times it was because of the things he said to her. Somehow he always seemed to have the right thing to say, crack a joke here and there, good or bad. But Arya soon learned to laugh at them all.
Days passed, and each night Arya found Gendry to be less and less hesitant to sleep next to her. And each night, after both of them struggling to fall asleep, they would eventually find each other's embrace. One of them would always make an excuse and say something about being too cold. Cold it may have been, but they both knew that those excuses were anything but.
Arya learned to find the slight rising and falling of Gendry's chest she would feel against her back, to be calming. The protection she felt from having his arms wrapped around her made falling asleep a lot easier. Each night, Gendry held her a little tighter than the last, and each morning Arya wished that the night had never ended.
Arya also took notice of the way Gendry watched her sometimes. Such as when she would drive the car, or warm her hands by the fire. He thought she didn't know, but she did. Most times he'd look at her as if she was the last girl in the world. Other times, he'd watch her with a pained expression, one that Arya didn't understand.
On their sixth day of travel, Arya and Gendry were nearly out of the Riverlands, about half a day's drive from the Twins. Arya now realized that Gendry's initial prediction of getting her home to Winterfell in a week and a half was simply wishful thinking. Since freeways other than the Kingsroad were sparse in the North, Arya knew that she would be lucky if they were in Winterfell in two week's time.
It was Arya's turn to drive. They had agreed to take turns driving throughout the day. That way Gendry wouldn't get tired as easily, and Arya as bored. Being behind the wheel of a car wasn't the same as riding her bike, but Arya loved it nonetheless. It gave her a sense of freedom and control. Gendry was asleep in the passenger's seat, giving Arya an idea to surprise him and buy something nice for lunch at the nearest gas station. They seemed to be doing that a lot, buying their food at gas stations. It was safer than driving into towns where there were more chances for Arya to get noticed.
Pulling into the parking lot of a gas station, Arya got out of the car and made her way inside. As she was walking up and down the isles of the very small store, looking for something better tasting than canned food, Arya heard a sound that she had so greatly missed. That sound was the vrooming that came from the engines of six or seven bikes that were pulling into the parking lot of the gas station. Not thinking about the consequences of what she was about to do, or the chance of being recognized, Arya quickly paid for what she picked out in the store, and hurried outside.
Gendry had awoke, no doubt from the noise made by the bikes. He gave Arya a warning look as he saw her make her way towards where the group of men were standing by their bikes.
"Is that a Frey bike," asked Arya. "With a MotoGP engine?"
The Freys made the fastest and best bikes in all of Westeros. No wonder these men had their bikes. The Twins, a place where Freyway manufactured their bikes was so close to here.
"What's a boy your age know about bikes anyway? Have you ever even been on one?" asked a bald man who was much too young to have no hair.
"I've got one you know," replied Arya, feeling defensive.
Gendry was now by her side, trying to pull her towards the car.
"We should hurry. Don't want to be late for lunch with mother," he was speaking loudly enough for the men to hear.
"Is that your brother?" the man was now speaking to Gendry.
"Indeed… sir," replied Gendry.
"You should teach your brother that it's impolite to lie to strangers."
"I WASN'T LYING!" screamed Arya, trying to get free of Gendry's grip.
"Teach him a thing or two about controlling his temper as well," added the man.
"It's there! In the truck. See for yourself if you don't believe me!"
Arya regretted saying that momentarily. The men exchanged looks, and Gendry shook his head in disbelief at what she had done.
"Well, if the boy wishes we look at his bike, then we'll make sure to get a good look at it," said the bald man as he gave his men a nod.
That's when it happened. Two men ran over to her and Gendry, pulling the two of them apart. The man that was holding Arya was not letting her escape from his grip, no matter how hard Arya tried. Gendry punched the man that was trying to hold him captive, prompting another man to run over and assist in holding Gendry down. Two more men went over to Gendry's truck, pulling off the cover that was covering Arya's bike.
"Huh, the boy was right. He does have a bike. And quite a nice one as well."
That was it; they were going to steal Needle. Her most precious possession. Her last gift from Jon.
Tears started to well up in Arya's eyes. She had nearly missed the sound of more roaring engines that came from another group of bikes pulling into the parking lot. The new group of men dismounted from their bikes, and a man who Arya assumed to be their leader stepped forward.
"Leave them be, Walton, and no harm will come to you," said a man with long hair and a beard to match it.
The men who held Arya and Gendry captive seemed to loosen their grip as they looked in the direction of the newly arrived guests.
"Thoros," said the bald man who Arya assumed to be Walton. Walton Frey. Of course! No wonder he had a Frey bike. "Didn't think I'd see you here today."
"You heard me, Walton. Leave the poor lads alone. What are you doing trying to steal their bike anyway? Don't you have one of your own? Perhaps it's the thrill of picking on those who you outnumber that prompts you to do these things," said Thoros.
"We outnumber you. Just you, Anguy, and Harwin today, is it? What happened to the rest of your group?"
Harwin. Why did that name sound so familiar to Arya?
"You may outnumber us, but we overpower you in strength. I suggest you leave now before this gets out of hand and I am forced to send your head to your grandfather."
What's this deal about severed heads?
Anger spilled across Walton's face as he gave his men a look which prompted them to release Arya and Gendry.
Making their way towards their bikes, Walton stopped near Thoros and mumbled, "this isn't over yet."
As Walton Frey and his group rode away, Thoros looked at Arya, then at Gendry, and then back at Arya.
"What did you two do to provoke Walton Frey anyway?" he asked, suspiciously.
"Nothing," began Arya. "They just came at us wanting to steal my bike, is all."
Another man made his way towards Arya and Gendry. That's when Arya knew that this man was none other than Harwin, a man who used to work for her father.
"You mean the bike Jon gave to you, child?" asked Harwin.
A/N: So this is the chapter where Arya and Gendry meet The Brotherhood Without Banners! I decided to make them into a biker gang in my story, lol why not! You'll learn more about their purpose and what they do in the next chapter! Also, I decided to give Thoros the appearance to match his actor's in the show. I realize that in the books he's supposed to be a "tall, fat, bald man" (wikipedia's words, not mine), but I think it's more fun if he has a long beard and hair :P Please review!