Summary: Jon realises he has some persuading to do.

Jon

Jon found himself in the courtyard, watching Bran once again get told off by Lady Catelyn for climbing. Bran looked so much like Arya right now. Slightly ashamed and annoyed for getting caught - again. And like his sister, he promised he wouldn't do it anymore. Whether he meant climb or get caught, Jon wasn't sure; though he'd guess the latter.

Once again he felt Ghost's blood-red eyes staring up at him. Without looking away from Bran he reached down and patted the direwolf on the head. The creature was being pensive and quiet, reflecting his own mood perfectly. He had thought about Arya and Gendry almost constantly for the past two days. Their friendship was growing, it was easy to see. At first he hadn't thought it was possible. Yet it appeared that she was rapidly warming to the prince. It was obvious that Gendry encourged the wildness within his cousin, and she was getting in more trouble for it.

It had made him chuckle the other day when he had found them in the forge. Jon had known Gendry had been a blacksmith's apprentice and seeing him shirtless wasn't uncommon; especially in the heat of Kings Landing. He was a good worker and it hadn't surprised Jon in the least that his friend decided to do the repair himself. However he hadn't expected to see Arya there.

He hadn't missed the exchange of glances between them either.

Gendry looked at Arya as if she were the only thing in front of him, despite the fact she had just punched him in the arm. Twice. He obviously wasn't blind to Jon's cousin. He was captivated by her and she didn't realise it. She probably didn't even know that Gendry saw her like that. Although she didn't seem entirely unaware of him. She had seen his naked chest and looked away in embarrassment, her heated eyes looking everywhere but at him. He had also heard Gendry laugh as he teased her, calling Arya "My Lady" in that tone she hated. It was no wonder she had hit him really. Gendry had obviously taken Jon's advice on teasing and annoying her to another level. Jon sniggered, remembering her scowl as she had turned fuming eyes to her cousin.

He had waited outside, allowing them to have a moment until she had assaulted him. Once Arya had done that he stepped in, not wanting Gendry to have anything broken. Though he supposed if she posed any threat his friend could deal with it. He would probably just pin her again. It had worked once.

Jon almost pitied Lady Catelyn for finding them that night. She would probably be even more determined to make Arya act accordingly.

He sighed, wishing that his aunt could just love Arya for who she was. She wasn't proper and ladylike. She didn't do her duty because it was required of her. Arya wasn't like her sister Sansa. Although she was beautiful and could make lord's heads turn - much to his irritation. He hated when they looked at Arya like that (even though he knew why they did). He had also heard people compare his cousin to his mother, Lady Lyanna.

They said that she "had the same silver wolf eyes and the same dark hair and even had the same smile".

His uncle Ned thought so too. Especially when Arya was told off for something.

He said that it was "like re-living his youth, having to put up with the same behaviour."

But unlike Catelyn, Ned hardly ever became angry. He loved Arya too much. His uncle respected her for who she was. It didn't hurt that she was a Stark and not a Tully in looks either.

Jon wished that Arya wasn't betrothed. No way did he want her to marry Elmar Waldron Frey. She would be dragged away from all the people who loved her, from her home. She would be forced to say the vows in a Sept of the Seven. To say words that were meaningless to her in front of Gods she didn't believe in. He couldn't imagine Elmar showing her any comfort or mercy in their marriage either. Though Arya was strong and wilful, even a wolf could be broken. And Jon had no worries believing that she would be. A lone wolf could be killed easily so far away from her pack.

He knew why his grandfather wanted to establish a union with the Frey's. They held the power of the Twins and would be useful if another war should erupt. However, no matter how much he saw the necessity of having the alliance with House Frey, he wished it wasn't Arya that Rickard was bargaining.

Jon loved her like a little sister and he wanted to look out for her. Which he was determined to do. He needed to get Gendry more time. It was the reason why he had come all this way in the first place. He had always loved his stories of Arya and in the end he had wanted to meet her desperately.

It meant that he would have to speak to Lord Stark.

A lot of persuasion was going to be needed. Lord Rickard didn't change his mind easily.


Lyanna

Lyanna glanced up from her book to see Jon coming into the library. She smiled up at her son, seeing the fierce glimmer of determination in his grey eyes. She knew that look all too well.

"Are you looking for Arya?" She asked, wanting to see his face once she told him that his favourite cousin was with Gendry. Again.

"No, I was actually trying to find Lord Rickard. I thought he would be in here." Her son frowned deeply.

"Truthfully I don't know where he is. I haven't seen him since this morning. What do you need him for?"

"I just need to talk to him." Lyanna sighed heavily and closed the book in her lap. She knew what he wanted to speak to her father about. Arya and Elmar's betrothal. "Jon, you know how stubborn Lord Stark is. He wants this marriage to go ahead, and as much as I hate to say this, it probably will." In fact she knew it would, unless Gendry spoke to her father.

"Gendry just needs some more time." Jon answered desperately. "He's only been here a few weeks."

"The Frey boy will arrive within less than a month Jon." Lyanna warned. She had overheard her father speaking to Ned only yesterday. Talking about preparations. It had taken all of her willpower not to barge in and scream at them.

"A month?" He repeated, stormy eyes widening. She hated to give him such news as the last month had been such a good one.

Arya and Gendry had become much closer, their friendship only strengthening as time passed. It appeared that he appreciated the wolf within her more than she or Jon ever had. He spoke to her no differently than her brothers did. Lyanna was certain that was a request from Arya. She had never liked being treated differently. It also seemed that Gendry annoyed her as much as anything. Jon had told her of Arya's fists beating at the Prince. Only Arya would ever act in such a way. And it appeared that only he would allow her to do so. She wondered again for the hundredth time how Arya felt towards Gendry. Was she as infatuated with him as he was with her?

"Surely an alliance with House Baratheon is better than one with the Freys?" Her son asked breaking into her reverie. He leaned forward, his eyes now dark and intense as he waited for a response.

She wanted to agree with Jon on that point. There had been a rift between their houses since Lyanna had rejected Robert's betrothal. A choice that she did not regret at all, yet had left an awkwardness between them. Ned had remained friends with the King but he did not trust his judgement anymore. He hadn't since Cersei had become Queen.

Cersei Lannister hated Ned and Lyanna with a passion. Her brother had been too honest and too honourable for Cersei to ever be comfortable around. And she had always been compared to Lyanna whenever Robert became drunk; which was often. She didn't blame the Queen for her dislike of them really. Her marriage had never been a happy one to Robert.

"I would say yes to you Jon, but I don't know how Lord Rickard will react." To say that her lord father was stubborn was an understatement. I got the wolf blood from him. Lyanna thought to herself. "But I will go with you if you wish."

"Thank you." He said softly, eyes warming at her. She smiled at him and rose heading for her father's chambers.


They arrived at his place in a matter of moments and it was clear to Lyanna that he knew why they were there. Lord Stark of Winterfell already knew what they were going to say.

"No. A treaty must be made with House Frey." Her father growled again. They had been aquarrelling for some time now.

She knelt by his side so she could look up at him.

"Father please. Jon is right. House Baratheon is far stronger and rules the Seven Kingdoms. If Arya married Prince Gendry, she would become queen someday." She proposed, taking his aged hand in her own. She frowned feeling the once warm steady fingers now brittle and cold. Sighing she covered him in another fur throw. She hadn't realised until now how sick he actually was. The old wolf is dying. Lyanna realised, blinking away tears. She tightened her grip on him. "But none of this can happen unless you and Ned allow it." She finished, speaking softly.

Lyanna felt awful for saying such a thing when she didn't even know how Arya felt about Gendry. But she wouldn't allow her niece to marry Elmar Frey. Surely it was better for Arya to be betrothed to a man who was smitten with her, rather than a boy who only cared about politics. A boy who only cared what benefits their marriage would give him. That was all Elmar wanted.

"It has already been arranged Lya." Rickard mumbled as his eyes hardened. He wasn't going to be budged lightly. "Surely you of all people understand the importance of that."

"Do you want her to marry that little tyrant My Lord?" Jon asked, his voice layered with anger. She noticed that Lord Rickard didn't look particularly plesaed about it. She saw the flash of discomfort in those slate grey eyes.

"Give her a choice." Lyanna replied quickly, feeling her eyes widen as she spoke her thoughts. Her father hadn't been at all happy when Robert had asked for Lyanna's hand in marriage. So he had given her a choice whether she wished to decline or not. Perhaps it wasn't as honourable as the Starks were meant to be, but in her youth Lord Rickard had been kinder. He knew the life she would have had.

"The same choice you had? No. I will not. You were my daughter. It was different." Lyanna didn't see how it was different, but she didn't argue.

"Then give her a choice of suitors. Allow time for someone else to come forward and ask Arya for her hand."

For a long time her father didn't respond. He just stared out of the window, seeing his granddaughter in the courtyard below. She was laughing at Gendry as they dismounted their horses. It was then Gendry crowded her against the horse, probably trying to appear menacing. It didn't work. It just caused her niece to laugh harder. It was then he reached out and gently tucked a lock of loose hair behind her ear. Her smile softened as she gazed up at him and Lyanna saw her father's expression change.

"Very well. Arya will have another fourteen days. If no one else comes forward then her engagement to the Frey will be fulfilled."

"I have your word?"

"I give you my word." Rickard said clearly, staring down at her. Jon looked as though he were going to argue for more time but Lyanna silenced him with a shake of her head.

"Thank you." Lyanna beamed and kissed her father on the cheek. She couldn't belive he had actually relented. Two more weeks was plenty of time for Gendry to decide whether he wanted Arya for his wife, and hopefully it was enough time for Arya too.

She prayed to the Gods that everything went smoothly.