Within a few seconds I was off my horse, threw down my bow with my loaded arrow and bolted towards her, seeing him drop Needle and ran over to me as well. We collided in the middle, hugging each other as if it was for dear life. I have missed Arya, dreamed about her when I was with Gendry in the woods and also when we were back at Thedra Ascent. Ever since I saw her last, running around Dragonstone and Flea Bottom, I was always in fear that she would be dead somewhere and alone. But now that she's back here with me and safe, I knew then that I had to protect her. Not only was she my sister by blood, but she was my first real friend that I made outside of Thedra Ascent.

She has grown since I saw her last, a bit taller and her hair was growing out since it was chopped off in Flea Bottom. But she was still the same Arya, and as I heard James and two others get off their horses as a dismount, I pulled away from the hug I was giving Arya and I sawyer face. Her gray eyes, still the same and filled with adventure, but they looked darker than before. She must of seen things that haunted her in her own dreams. I smiled widely at her as she touched my face in disbelief.

"What happened to you?!" She asked aloud as she scanned my face, "I thought you were dead…..Gendry and I.."

"He's safe." I said to her, seeing her look at me with wider eyes and smile widely at me, "He's with me at Winterfell."

"Winterfell…." She trailed off sounding as though it was false to her ears. I looked behind me and saw James walk over to me with his hand on his hip where his sword was as he nodded his head at the both of us.

"Lady Stark here as rebuilt your home for you, making it safe for you and the rest of the Stark Children to return." He explained, having me look back and see Arya look at me in both fascination and intrigue at me. She had no clue about me being her sister, and James just spilt it out in the open. I was waiting for her to do something, anything for that matter, because she was frozen in her spot and it had be believe that she hated the thought. How could she, since we both were tight as friends were. But a small smile was on her lips and a gasp left them as she stared right at me.

"You're my sister?" She asked me aloud, a bigger smile was growing second by second. I smiled, a tear was coming down my own face as I nodded my head and I saw her hug me once more, this time, it was a more intimate hug. This hug I felt to my core, as if she was making up lost time apart from each other. I hugged her back, feeling as though I just now gained a sister and we were reunited once more, never again to lave each other's side. She pulled away and smiled brightly at me, the same smile I saw once when we were together traveling to King's Landing. it was the same smile that was filled with hope and adventure before it all went downhill and into mass chaos. I moved some of the pieces of her brown hair away from her eyes, then thinking of one more thing that she would want to hear.

"I have another present for you, something you thought you lost." I explained to her, seeing her raise her eyebrow at me as she thought about it.

"What is it?"

As soon as we made it in the Winterfell walls in the courtyard, Gendry was running over with Koda at his side, Arya jumping down from riding behind me and the both of them hugging together. I even saw Gendry crying in joyful tears as they fell to the floor in a mess of joy and relief that they were together again as friends. I smiled, standing to the side as I then saw Nymeria run over to her former master, kissing her face and nuzzling against her. Arya sobbed into her fur, clinging to her for dear life and knowing that she never lost Nymeria in the first place. Gendry walked over to me, hugging me closely and sneaking in a kiss as I watched Arya and Nymeria reunite with each other.

"She's safe." I said to him as we hugged each other, having me feel him nod his head. I knew that Gendry was also concerned her Arya and if she was safe. They both were close friends, and it pained him that he too refused Arya besides me. But the three of us were together once more, just like old times of happiness and content.

We got Arya her old room back, though it brought her some bad memories since she only thought Winterfell was in ruins and never to be back to the same that it once was. I explained to her all that happened as we ate at the great hall, how Gendry and I were taken to Dragonstone and our escape to Flea Bottom. Later, my lineage as a Stark child, then finding Nymeria in the woods with her pups that now belonged to Gendry and I. Arya noticed Astrid and Koda, and she could tell whom belonged to whom. She smirked at Koda, "He does act my Gendry, a stubborn one." I grinned, remembering all the times that she called him stubborn.

Arya explained to me all that happened to her: being taken by the Hound after seeing her mother and my twin brother killed. They were on their way to find out Aunt int he East, whom the Hound thought would pay a ransom for Arya to keep her safe. But they later found out that Lady Arryn as killed, which lead to the death of the Hound who was killed by a female knight from the South. As she told me this, I watched her in wrapped attention as Nymeria was back at her feet, nuzzling against her and asleep, Astrid was doing the same with me. Arya went through so much pain after we separated, having me worry that she would never be the same Arya again. She had to grow up fast and quick, something I never wanted for her or for anyone.

"Have you heard from the other Starks?" Arya asked me aloud as we sat and ate together, Gendry by my side with Koda sitting by the front door that lead to the courtyard.

"No, and I have been trying to find everyone else as soon as I could. We need to find Sansa and our brothers, Arya. It's our best chance of getting more supporters and allies on our side." I explained to her, seeing her nod her head as she took another bite from her bread.

"I have no idea about Bran and Rickon, and for all I know Sansa is still at Kings Landing with her husband Tyrion." She explained to me, having me nod my head and look over at Gendry with worry. He silently took my hand in his as I looked back at my sister, "Although, when The Hound and I were in the Vale to see Aunt Arryn, we were told that her husband sends his regards to her death."

"I had no idea she was married." I said to her in interest.

"Neither did I. She must of just gotten married before she died." Arya added aloud to me.

"Who did she marry?" Gendry asked aloud to her in wonder.

"Don't know." Arya said in a shrug, having me think to myself of the new situation. My Aunt was now dead, so we had no clue as to how we can get allies from there on out in the East.

"There has to be somebody that we can talk to over there about getting allies on our side." I explained aloud, thinking to myself about it, "Maybe someone on their council."

"It won't hurt to try." Gendry added in agreement.

"We need supporters behind us, it's not enough that it's the Stark children." I said again aloud, having me see Arya look over at me with a raised eyebrow, as if she saw something new and shifting in me. I looked at her with a confused stare, not knowing what to think since she was seeing me in a new light.

"What?" I asked her, finally wanting to know what was going on. She then smiled at me, a small mischievous smile that she would have between us awhile ago.

"I never took you as a leader type." She said aloud to me in her light tone, having me smile and nod my head in agreement. It was true, one look at me and you wouldn't think that I would lead a small army against the South to regain my name. But I never wanted that, I still don't want that. The only goal in my mind is to get my siblings back in one piece.

"I'm not a leader." I reminded her, "Only a dressmaker who is trying to find her family. I almost lost you once, Arya. And now I might loose my sister and two brothers because the South thinks we're a threat."

"I think you're a leader." Arya said to me, having me be frozen in my spot as soon as she said it. She saw me in that light, even in times that I felt weak and useless? I had no idea, but she watched me without me realizing it. Gendry squeezed my hand in his, having me look over at him and see him smile at me softly, the gentle smile that he would use before he would kiss me or hug me close. The smile of intimacy.

"As do I." He said to me, having me smile and look back at Arya, whom now had a look of determination on her face. She picked up the knife next to her that she used to cut the bread, having me see the wheels turning in the back of her mind as she stared at her knife with the small smirk and a hint of drive.

"When do we start?"

As soon as Gendry closed the door behind us to our room, he wrapped his arms around me from behind and pulled me against him, kissing my neck softly and having me feel his fingers against my stomach and hips. We were growing closer in our intimacy and it made me happier every time I was with him. He was already my everything before we took that step in our joined room, and now it was intensified. His lips against my neck, his possessive hold on me that was both gentle and fierce, I was having those emotions come over me once more.

"Someone is desperate." I said in a throaty tone, having me feel him pause with his lips on my skin and I froze as well. Did I say the wrong thing? But he had me turn so I could face him, seeing him against the door and looking down at me with a small smile on his face and his blue eyes shining in the dim room. I was lost in his eyes once more just just being there in his arms, already lost and fine with it.

"Are you happy?" He asked me aloud, having me raise a eyebrow at him and nod my head.

"Of course I am." I said to him in glee, "I found my sister and she is still alive and here with us—"

"No, I mean." He said, taking out a shaky breath as he continued, his voice dropping slightly and showing that we were going to have a serious conversation, "Are you happy with me?" I paused, seeing him stare at me with for an answer. I sighed, brushing his black hair from his eyes and running my fingers in his hair in a soothing notion.

"I haven't been this happy in years, because of you." I explained to him aloud, still seeing the disbelief in his eyes, "Aren't you happy with me?"

"Beyond happy, Nora." He said to him in his low tone, but I knew there was more to it, having me seeing him gently trap my face in his massive forged hands, "But I realize that we're different…you're a Lady and I'm a Bastard—"

"You're not a Bastard, Gendry." I said to him in a stern tone, seeing him eye me from his spot, "I don't care about where you come from and what blood you have to your name. All that matters to me if that your heart…" I paused, placing my hand on his chest where his heart was only to show him what I was trying to say, "You have a good heart, Gendry. A heart that is worth more gold in all of Westeros, that's all I want from you. I don't want your lineage, only your heart." After I finished tell him this. I heard nothing at first, but I then saw him slowly melt and rest his forehead against my own. He knew that he was enough for me, through and through I didn't anymore form him. He kissed me softly, his lips against my own were almost tumbling and showing me his vulnerable side. It made me wonder if anyone has event told him what I just did with him in that moment, that he was wroth it, that his blood was not as important as his heart. Was I was first? I had to wonder. He pulled away after that kiss, having me look up at him and rest my fingers against his cheeks. We were mere inches away from each other, but I felt his shallow breathing against my cheeks.

"Your heart is all I need, Gendry Waters." I whispered to him in a soft tone. It was true, since I could only rely on him and his heart when everything else around me in Westeros was changing left and right.

"As is yours, Nora Stark. I only ask for yours." he said to me in a vow of a tone, having me smile at him as He felt his hands back on my hips again, grasping me and not letting me go.

"You've had it from the moment I met you." I explained to him, seeing him grin and lean back down to kiss me. We kissed then against the wall, then finding ourselves backing up to the bed once again as we did before, but this time it was less lustful and more compassionate and caring to one another. His kisses were very soft and gentle, on both my lips and my collarbone as we descending to the bed. Pulling his shirt over his head and hearing him groan in appreciation as I moaned in his mouth from feeling him pull my dress straps over my shoulders and rang his own fingers down my bare back. We both were careful of each other then, no long fueled with lust, but with what we were really feeling with each other: pure love.

It was something else to feel his pulse against my fingers as I traced his wrists and arms, Every kiss he gave against my skin, both covered and exposed, was having me grow more attached to him as not as my lover and friend, but as my soulmate and other half. We made love again in our bed, and just as before, I never regretted it. Not once.

Not ever.

I woke up to the sound of the anvil rhythm from my open window, having em blink a few times and see that I was alone in the bed, covered in the furs but none the less bare. I moved the hair away from my eyes, having me looking around for a moment or two to see where Gendyr went. For a moment I thought he left me once more, but then I saw, over by the open window, Gendry was only wearing his pants that were low on his hips was holding his thin shirt in his hands. His hair was messy and askew, but I smiled from where I was as he looked over his shoulder at me with a lopsided grin on his face.

"Must you leave me so early?" I asked him in almost a coy tone, seeing him sigh and walk over to me, leaning down and grabbing my dress that was crumbled on the floor next to the bed. He sat on the bed next to me, placing my dress on the bed then framing my face in a intimate manner before leaning in to give me a ghost kiss.

"I have work to do in the forge, and you have a fortress to run." He said against my lips, having me smile and kiss him softly before he pulled away from me. I groaned as he stood back up next to the bed and threw on his shirt.

"Must you be this stubborn, you Bull." I said to him as he chuckled from his spot, his chest was now hidden from the shirt .

"And must you be this needy, wolf girl." he said back to him, having me roll my eyes as he turned his back for me to pull on the small clothes and dress that he gave me. As soon as I pulled up on the dress and tied it back together, I got up from the bed and walked over to the window where Gendry as, running my fingers in his hair and hearing him chuckle from the gesture.

"You need a haircut." I said to him in a playful tone.

"Aye, but I don't trust you with a knife since the last time you held one you almost killed the assassin." Gendry countered back at me, having me playfully shove him and hearing him laugh in remark. I loved his laugh, it was something I wanted to remember for the rest of my lip as he wrapped me in a warm hug. It was soothing to hug him, since it brought me back to my right state of mind. But then we heard some commotion outside in the courtyard, having the both of us pull away from each other and look out in wonder and confusion. We peered into the courtyard as we saw two of our men riding back into the courtyard, they must of went out on a early hunt before the sun came up. Arya then appeared, running over with Nymeria by her side and talked to both of the men, whom bowed to her and then explained what happened. I watched them, seeing her face light up from what was happening. What did happen? It must of been something amazing, since she nodded her head at him and then looked over at us by the window. She must of known that this was our room, since her smile was so big she was almost on the brink of tears.

"They found her!" She yelled at us in joy, having me wonder who she meant.

"Found who?" I asked her aloud in wonder, seeing him clasp her hands together.

"They found Sansa!"