I woke up in a peaceful moment, feeling kisses planted on the back of my bare neck and cascading down to my bare shoulder, having me squirm a bit as I opened my eyes. The sound of the busy morning was coming through the window and I smiled as I felt the arms around my middle tighten, showing that he was glad I was there. Our first morning together, as husband and wife.
I moved around on the bed, turning to face Gendry, I've seen his face like this, many times before when we would share a bed together. But this time it felt different, it looked different. His messy hair, freshly open blue eyes, and the look of content on his face. It was because he was now my husband, and I was his wife. Everything change now, and I loved it.
"Good morning." I said to him in a content tone, very low and soothing since we were so close together now. He reached up, tracing my forehead with his finger and playing with a couple of the curls of my hair that stayed since last night.
"Good morning, Nora." he replied in a hoarse tone, having me giggle from how he was looking in his spot.
"You're still tired from last night I take it?" I asked him, seeing him grin at me. I had to coy with him, since he did look like he was about to pass out though we sleep soundly after our consummating of marriage.
"Don't blame me for still recovering after what you did to me last night, who knew you for being such a siren." Gendry joked, having me jab him in the rib with one of my fingers and hearing him fake a moan of pain.
"That hurt!" He said, having me laugh from my spot and then see him shoot up from out bed, the furs that were covering us were now at his waist as he looked like he had a shocking revelation.
"I forgot! Seven Hells I forgot your gift!" He said aloud, shifting his feet over the side of the bed and throwing on his pants as I moved over to my side, slipping on my small clothes. I heard him shifting around the room as I rearranged my hair in a braid down my shoulder, still feeling curls framing my face as I blinked a few times, getting the sleep out of my own system. I felt the featherbed shift as he got back on it, making me moved around to see him hold out something in his hand, covered in cloth and hidden from me. I giggled, seeing how he was trying to be coy about it as he placed it in my lap.
"My wedding gift to you." He said to me, having me look up at him with a hint of sadness in my own eyes.
"I don't have one for you." I said in almost a dreading tone, but Gendry shook his head.
"I have no need of one, other than you." He reassured me, having me sigh and look back down at what was in my lap. It felt heavy, I knew it was steel since I could feel the pristine metal against the cloth on my skin. Carefully I pulled back the cloth, seeing the shine of the metal below me and the look on my face was priceless. He made me armor.
Specifically, a chest plate.
"Brienne of Tarth helped me on how to shape it, since I only knew how to make chest armor for men." Gendry explained as I placed my fingers on the cool metal and traced it. It felt smooth, clean and perfect to me as I saw the delicate look it had. This armor looked smaller compared to the others and I saw the carving of the Stark wolf on the chest, having me smile so widely as I looked up at him. His face was concerned, as if he was waiting for my approval.
"If I was any other Lady, I would of wanted a piece of jewelry to trinket." I explained to him, seeing him watch me to wonder where I was going with this conversation, but my smile never left my face.
"But since I am like no other Lady, this is perfect for me." I explained to him, seeing a smile on his face once more and no longer worry or fear that the gift was not good enough for me. I leaned over, kissing him and feeling him smile against my lips, my chest plate in between us although it felt awkward against my legs. But my mind was on my husband, whom gave me gift that I did not even deserve, other than his chest plate that he made me. I didn't deserve his love or affection, he was too good for me and I was far too complicated for his own good. Yet I felt as though he was thinking the same thing, that I was too good for him and too much go a pure soul.
"Will you help me put it on, dear husband?" I asked against his lips, seeing him watch me with intense eyes, almost with a hint of lust as I traced his exposed collarbone from his small shirt, "Or should I do this alone and have you watch?" He grinned, kissing him hotly as he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into his lap. having me giggle in the process.
"I think I can put it on you nicely."
"Stannis Baratheon of Dragonstone, Milords and Miladies." Thoros announced to us as he opened the doors. The Stark family were all the high thrones in the main hall, our banners high in the air as we saw our visitors coming into the main hall. A few days after the wedding, Gendry and I were back at working with the Head of Houses and their soldiers, along with Jon and the Brotherhood Without Banners. I was trying to adjust to married life with Gendry, much to my joy. It was still new to me to call him my husband, because in my eyes he was my best friend and comrade in life. This was just another title, a title that I was willing to bear. But after our consummation night, I never heard the end of the bantering and jokes from Thoros, Anguy, and a bit from Jon about that night in general. They meant well, though it left me flushed and awkward. Thankfully Bran and James and Coen said nothing, and thank the Old Gods Rickon was young enough to not even think about things in that nature.
Gendry was at my side as I sat with my siblings, wearing his new set of clothes that we gave him, well, Sansa gave him as a wedding present since he was now a highborn according to us and the rest of Winterfell. James was there as muscle, standing by my side in his full Winterfell armor and his stern stance. I could tell Gendry's vice grip on my hand as he saw Stannis Baratheon walk down the main hall, having me squeeze his hand back in return to show that I was there for him. Sansa, Jamie and Tyrion Lannister, along with Pod and Brienne of Tarth, were off in the East with some of our soldiers to recruit more Houses and even reach those on the island. Sansa explained to me that the Tyrell's wanted to meet with her since she knew the young women who married Joffrey: Margaery Tyrell. She was going to wed Tommen Lannister, yet she was still not pleased in the eyes of Cersei.
"Can we trust her Sansa?" I asked her the morning she left with the group of men in the East.
"She was nothing but kind to me, and the Tyrells are the House that brings coins and provisions to the Lannisters anyhow, that's what Tyrion told me." Sansa replied back to me in a confident tone, "I have Jamie and Tyrion with me, along with Brienne and Thoros."
"And Margaery is fine with the Lannister brothers?" I questioned her with a unconvincing tone.
"She would have to since she is married to their nephew, and her allegiance with Cersei is thin. But I won't make any decisions with Bran and Jon's consent, trust me." Sansa said to me some more. I nodded my head in agreement, seeing the point. Margaery may be sworn to marry the current King of Westeros, but I knew her allegiance was true to her house from all that Sansa told me. At this point I knew that I was underestimating Sansa with how she would watching and analyzing the people around her while he was in the South.
I knew this was going to be twice as hard for him to see his Uncle, since the last time we were somewhere near him, he wanted us killed. But this was new, since he was in our territory and he wanted to come to agreement. Silently he was wishing he would yell and scream at Stannis, or even have him killed for what he did to him. But that was not the Gendry I knew and married, I knew that for certain.
Stannis Baratheon stood in front of us, having me finally see his face and how whether he looked. I never knew Robert Baratheon, nor did I ever see his face, and it had me wonder how he looked compared to his brother who was at our main hall. He had a stern look, a look of pure leadership and pure revenge on the Lannisters. HIs men were behind him, having me see the armor they were wearing and the sigma that was not hero chest: Baratheon. But behind Stannis, I saw a familiar face: Davvos. He looked the same since I saw him last in the dungeons, but a little healthier than the raggedy man that I saw down there in the pits. He was Stannis's righthand man, having me see Stannis look up at Bran, then a little bit to Jon. Stannis's eyes were downcasted for a mere moment at the two wolves that were present at the meeting: Koda and Ghost. The rest, much to our dismay, were going to be placed in the stables and away from the visiting party.
"Lord Stark, I thank you for letting me come to your halls without any hostility to illness towards us." Stannis said to Bran in his cool tone, having me look over at Bran and also at Jon whom had his hand on the top of his sword, looking rather authoritative and fierce.
"We thank you for coming to Winterfell, Stannis Baratheon." Bran replied back to him in his low Lord tone. I looked from Stannis over to Gendry, seeing him look at Stannis with a cold stare on his face and in his stance on his throne.
"I assume you know why I am here." Stannis projected to Bran, keeping his focus on him and him alone.
"As I understand it, you are here in hopes of making a alliance with House Stark in hopes of overtaking House Lannister and their spot on the Iron Thone." Bran explained to him aloud, showing no signs of being threatened by him, of who he was and what he has done in the past. I looked over to Davvos, watching him from behind Stannis. Davvos made eyes with me, having me witness his eyes going a bit wider within seconds and his head hung low since he was behind the acclaimed king. But as soon as we locked eyes with each other, he knew who I was and where he saw me last, and his stance went soft for a moment or two.
"My motive does not involve bringing harm to your House, though I wish to speak with you and bringing me soldiers and other Houses to my aid." Stannis recited in front of us, "As the younger brother to the late Robert Baratheon, it is my right to be King of Westeros since Cersei had children with her brother, Jamie Lannister." I looked from Davvos to Jon, seeing nothing in his face from the shock of the news. But it was a shock to me. Jamie and Cersei? Lovers? I never saw that one coming, then again, I was still warming up to Jamie. I was looking at Jon to see if it was true, and from what I saw on his face, it was.
"Since this is in fact true, I am Stannis of the House Baratheon, First of His Name, King of the Andals and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm, and I have come to claim my right to the throne from Cersei and King Tommen." Stannis proclaimed, having me eye him and watch him. He was serious and severe, holding his ground against the Lannister clan and not moving away from his eye with the Iron Throne.
"I do wish to address the matter that happened with my sister and Good Brother, whom is also your nephew." Bran started with his explanation, having Stannis's eyes look over to myself and Gendry. I hold on Gendry now tightened as Gendry rearranged himself in his seat.
"My Nephew?" Stannis asked in a low tone.
"Sir Gendry Baratheon, knight of Hollow Hill." James said to him from his spot next to me, showing his authority as one of our head guards in Winterfell. Stannis looked a bit taken back from what he heard, but I saw Gendry out of the corner of my eye sating true in his spot and not moving or showing any sign of weakness.
"He's not a Bastard." Stannis stated as if it was out of the ordinary. I saw Bran sit up a bit in his spot, Arya eyeing him with daggers in her gray orbs and Jon sneering at him slightly. The word Bastard was not really used lightly now in our family, not now not ever,
"Not in the House of Stark, and he is my good brother now." Bran informed him, having me watch him carefully.
"And it appears you had both my good brother and sister in your dungeons for some time under the ruling of you, wishing them both dead for the sake of your own need of power." Jon said to him from next to Bran, a dose of hate was laced in his speech.
"That was the ruling of the Red Woman!" Davvos finally spoke up, having me see him move away from Stannis to be in front of him, showing his loyalty and faith, "She brainwashing and used Lord Stannis's mind, clouding his better judgment in all that he did and all that he touched. it was her to ruled to have the young lady and lad to be killed, for the sake of Stannis but for other reasons that were far more dark and sinister." Bran looked over to Gendry and myself to see our reaction and what we had to say. If what he was saying what true, then the Red Woman really did poison his mind into the belief that Gendry was a threat and nothing more, but I had to see what Gendry thought of that. He stayed silent, looking at his Uncle and see his Uncle's reaction. Stannis stayed silent, looking a bit ashamed from the new discovery and the news of the Red Woman whom he trusted with his thirst for the Iron Throne.
"Is the Red Woman still in your command?" Bran asked him from his spot in the middle of the table, eyeing Stannis whom eyed him back.
"She is back in Dragonstone." He replied in a low tone, but I spoke up then, having enough of this woman and her way in the conversation.
"If you wish to have our alliance, you are to release her from your authority and all that you hold with her." I explained to him in my authoritative tone, having all the eyes one me now. I saw Stannis eyeing me with disbelief and a eery feeling in his stance, though he tried to be powerful in how his stood with his bannermen behind him.
"To be rid of her?" He asked me in a challenging tone.
"If what Davvos is saying is true, then she tried to kill your nephew, my husband, for the sake of your need of power in Westeros. And the House of Stark will not rely on the work of magic and sorcery in order to obtain power back in the North, let alone have a alliance with you as you are on the throne." I explained back to him in my bold tone, not moving once in fear or in doubt, "She almost had myself and Gendry killed because of who we were and what our blood was. We will not die at the hands of witchcraft." My voice rang in the hall, my other hand making a fist on the table as the other was still occupied by Gendry, whom was squeezing my hand so hard to show his approval of my demand.
"My sister's word is law." Bran added, Stannis's eyes went back to him within a second, "If you cut ties with this Red Woman, then you will have our men behind you in claiming the throne once more in your own right. But I will not tolerate anyone, even if they are of high blood, whom crosses my family." Bran sounded like a kind then in how he spoke, how he wanted his authority known. There was a moment of silence for a moment or two as all eyes were now on Stannis, even Davvos looked to his master and Lord in hopes that he would change his mind. Stannis stared at Bran with a hard look, thinking to himself and then folding his hands in front of him, showing defeat and approval.
"I will release the Red Woman from my grasp." He said, finally having me breathe out in relief, "Her magic has poisoned me for far too long. It is no longer in my nature to follow a religion, but to gain my rightful place on the throne." I saw Gendry sighed in relief silently, having me scoot closer to him and placed my other hand on his arm, soothing him in peace and silence as Bran continued.
"We shall discuss more in depth the upcoming plans for the South and how we shall deal with King's Landing. More Houses are rallying with us, and we will help you with your place for the Throne." Bran explained to him, having me see Stannis bow his head in return, then looking over at Gendry and myself from his spot on the floor.
"You two have been married, as I have heard." Stannis said to the both of us, almost like a question but not clearly.
"As of four days ago, yes," Gendry replied to him in a low tone, not showing his fear, "I am here with House Stark and I owe my loyalty to them."
"As do I." Stannis replied, having me see him take a step forward to us and having my hand on him clench tightly in fear that he was going to do something. Koda, whom was sitting in front of Gendry and myself, growling low in his throat as Stannis took hat step, barring his white teeth in contrast to his black fur. Stannis eyed Koda, having Gendry watch him with a thin lip and stern look.
"If it pleases you, I wish to speak to my nephew in private, in regards to what I wish to give him, and his wife." Stannis explained to Bran, having Bran raise his eyebrow at him and then look over at both Gendry and myself. I was more worried about Gendry, whom shifted in his seat. To leave Gendry alone with Stannis worried me, but what was Gendry thinking about in the situation.
"Let's talk in the Great Hall, just you and I." Gendry said aloud, having me then have a sinking feeling in my stomach.
What is going to happen next?