Winterfell and Thedra Ascent were becoming strongholds again, walls looked as strong as they did before, and the banners were flying in the wind. Since the incident with the assassin and how I handled him, driving my dagger into his arm and his scream being heard in the fortress, I had a new look on me: A look of pure ruler. Some of the soldiers and workers saw me in a new light, much to my dismay. But then again I knew that was going to happen since I was practically running both Thedra Ascent and Winterfell at the same time. I needed help in that, but I had none when it came to running a castle. I would trust James with the job, but that didn't seem right since I was still getting to know him. And I doubted Gendry wanted to run a fortress next to me, since this was already pretty much out of his comfort zone to begin with.

I needed Brennon.

Thankfully he was coming back to his original health, having me see him eat at his own pace instead of a worker helping him. I helped him out a few times myself when I wasn't giving out orders, and one morning when we were talking together about what happened with the assassin, I told him what was on my mind. My own cheek that was slashed was still recovering, stitched up and healing to be a thin scar on my cheek, something that would represent me in the future and how I survived.

"I need you, Brennon. I need you to take charge of Thedra Ascent." I explained to him as I watched Nymeria jump onto the bed and lay next to him, her head on his knee as he watched me carefully.

"I am no Thedra." He said to me in a hesitant tone.

"Neither am I." I countered back, "I am a Stark, and I have to watched Winterfell here. But I don't trust anyone else with Thedra Ascent than you, you grew up there practically and you're the only other person who knows the place as good as I do." He paused and looked down at his joined hands on his lap, having me see that he was still thinking about it as I reached out and touched his hands. He stared at my hand that was touching him, having me watch him as I spoke. I knew he was still on the fence about it, not knowing what to do and what to say.

"You are my close friend here, other than Gendry. I trust you with my life, Brennon." I started, but he shook his head.

"And I lost you, almost loosing your life in the process." He said, looking up at me with a cold stare, having me see that he was hating that we were separated at the confrontation before Harrenhal. He didn't like loosing me, it was not part of his job. He was supposed to being me back to Thedra Ascent safely and without harm, and he thought he failed.

"But you did protect me by giving me allies." I explained to him, seeing him watch me as I gave him a small smile, "You didn't have to do that, but you did. That proves to me that you will be willing to help me in any way that you can, and that you are a true friend that is close to my heart." I saw his eyes soften from what I told him, which was true. He did get me reinforcements and people to be behind me in case we were going to go into a war.

"It is merely because you were kind to me, nothing but kind to me, Nora." He explained to me as we talked some more, me sitting on his bed and watching him rest, "Even with your past haunting you, I knew that you were never going to give up without a fight, since you did fight me a few times." I felt as though a new leaf between the two of us, having me see him as a father figure more now than ever before.

"I will take care of Thedra Ascent as if it was my own home." I paused as he said this, saying it like a vow to me and showing me that he accepting it from me. But I wanted him to know more than that when it came to the place. I knew that I had some say when it came to how own what, all because I was a Stark. but I smiled as him and tapped his hand once more, staring at him straight in the eyes as I said it.

"That is your home."

It was quiet that evening and I was with Astrid on my bed, sitting with the sachal the Sophia gave me in my lap and having me look at the things inside that I forgot I had in there: my needle and thread that I snuck in there, some coins left over and some small pieces of fabric, it reminded me of home. It reminded me of the simple life I once had, the small things everyday that I had true to me heat: my calloused fingers from the threading and the blood splits from pricks of needles. I missed that life, I sometimes wished I was back there in that life, not moving out of the familiar walls of Thedra Ascent and how I would still be alive and simple to this day if I refused Lord Stark. What would of happen? Would I have known of my lineage? My siblings? My Parents? Was it right to go out of that door?

My thoughts then shifted to Gendry, how I met him in the streets of Flea Bottom and how he saved me from being mugged or worse. If I didn't leave my shop, if I didn't take that chance, when what would of happened to him? He would still be in Flea Bottom, minding his own and working under his master whom never treated him right to be fair. But then, we never would of met. I never would of felt love for someone that wasn't family, a love that I dreamed about and heard from knights band princesses. I wanted that love, and I would of never had it if I was too scared of afraid to leave my comfort. Gendry was now my comfort, my protector and shield, but he was my heart, more than anything. I may have a Northern heart with Stark Blood, but Gendry was my rock and foundation when it came to my sanity. Even before we proclaimed our love for one another, we needed each other for survival in all that we did. Everything that happened, we were there for each other as true friends and comprads. I loved him….I loved Gendry.

The door opened in front of me, having me see Astrid look behind her and see Gendry there, walking over and closing the door as if it was another day. He was his typical self, covered in grime and dirt from the work as he rubbed his eyes in tiredness. But I saw him as my true love, my only heart and my whole world. Something overtook me as I shot off the bed, ran over to him and pushed him against the wall, kissing him as if it was my last moment alive. At first he was shocked, frozen in his spot, but he kissed me back, wrapping his arm around me and cradling my head in his massive hand, having me feel him kiss me back hotly as I moaned in his mouth. Something snapped in the both of us again, but this time I had no intention of holding back or being modest. My fingers in his black hair, his on my hips and neck to hold me close and to never leave him. He pulled away from me at first, having me see his dilated eyes and how he was confused as to why I was doing this, but before he could say anything I beat him to it.

"I love you." I said to him in a harsh tone, almost a breathy one as if I was loosing my breath. He framed my face gently, his eyes were no longer confused but content as to what I said and he smiled at me. I smiled back. having me see that he somehow understood what I was feeling and why I said it and did that to him. I loved him for that, since we never had to speak of what we were feeling but we could feel each other.

I had the thought of him not being in my life, and that scared me. So I had to kiss him, to make sure it was real. He was real, what we have is real, and nothing was false or pretend. We both walked over to the bed, still wrapped up in our kissing and holding each other, having me forget that he undid my braid and that I stripped off his tunic, having him be bare chested in front of me. The back of my knees hit the bed, having me fall back but Gendry crawl on top of me, still kissing me into oblivion and my fingers touching his bare chest in front of me as we were on the bed. It made me remember that moment in the forge of Harrenhal, how I saw him in that moment, having feelings for him for the first time. But now it was different, we were different and we have grown together.

He took off the string that held the top of my dress before pushing the straps off my shoulders, still kissing me but now his lips were on my jawline and his scrappy stubble against my soft skin making me sigh. He was becoming a addiction, slowly but surely we were wrapped up in each other and not letting go. I clung on for dear life, new emotions and feelings were flooding me and overcoming me as we made love that night, morphing into one energy and one course together. We needed each other, after all that has happened to us, and we never held back, not once.

Two mornings later I rode through the East with James at my side, the both of us were accompanied with a couple of the soldiers that volunteered to help us search for other recruiters in the East. Gendry stayed behind with a now walking Brennon, whom was taking over Thedra Ascent and was helping out with getting things settled there. Since Gendry and I made love two night sago, we never saw it once as regret, but as something that brought us even more closer than before. It didn't matter to me that I was a highborn and he was only a blacksmith, we were each other's counterparts. Blood was never a thing for me to consider when it came to whom belonged to whom, only the heart was that matters. The rest was shot to Seven Hells.

We were in a vast clearing, having me see the moisture on the ground and hanging in the air from the misty East weather. I had my hair in it's traditional blade once more, Astrid next to me and trotting along without hesitation or resistance as we went along the road that was in front of us. The cold air was hitting my nearly healed but scarred cheek, having me squint every once in awhile but keep my eyes on the horizon in front of us. James was on my left, looking as well as we stopped in a open field, some boulders and sharp rocks were around and having me feel a sense of mystery in the area.

"How much longer until we reach Lady Arryn?" I asked James aloud next to me.

"Not too much longer, Milday." he replied to me, we should reach it before nightfall." I nodded my head, about to kick my horse into action when we heard something in front of us, almost a drawn of a sword. We all froze, the sound was clear and almost distant. but loud enough for all of us to hear. Someone was watching. Astrid growled, her ears back as I drew out my bow and loaded it, aiming it in front of me. A part of me was thinking it was another assassin from the South, wanting to have another turn with me to get me killed. But no, I saw someone walk out from the corner, from behind a boulder structure. The figure was small and slender, too small for a man or even a woman. No, this was a child, and child with a small sword that was thing and agile. I aimed, not seeing the face at first, but as soon as the person walked through the mists, I was frozen and I lost my breath once more. I heard murmurs behind me, but I lowered my bow and I felt a tear leave my eye as I looked at my long lost friend. A word passed my lips in a gasp.

"Arya."