A/N: hey guys, I'm so glad you guys seem to be enjoying this, thank you for all your lovely reviews! I'm loving writing this cause I know what I want to happen and I want to tell you now but I can't! It's like when you're watching a film with someone who hasn't seen it but you have and you just want to tell them everything...oh I'm such a weird human. Anyway, on with the chapter.
Arya slumped on Gendrys bed in a huff as he gazed at her with an intrigued and concerned expression. "Gendry, it doesn't matter. I'm not going to listen to her anyway." Arya crossed her arms defensively and wouldn't meet Gendry's eye. He lent forward and pushed her chin up. "Don't lie to me Arya, I know when you're bothered by something. Tell me what's wrong."
"I told you, noth-"
"Arya Stark, I command you to tell me what's wrong with you!" She tried to refrain from giggling but couldn't help herself. Soon after Gendry followed suit, both unsure as to why that was so funny. As the giggling eased, Arya started to look somber. "C'mon Arya, what's wrong? Tell me what's going on with Lady Catelyn." Arya sighed and puffed out her cheeks before relaxing her shoulders and letting it all out. "Mothers just being mother. She said that I shouldn't see you anymore. She doesn't think it's appropriate for a 'lady'," she shook her head, "but I don't care what she thinks. You're my best friend and I don't see why I should have to accommodate her because she doesn't approve." Gendry stopped her there.
"Arya, I don't think I quite understand what you and your mother are arguing over, she knows we're friends..."
"Oh Gendry, don't you get it? She thinks I'm in love with you!" Arya couldn't bear to look at him.
"What?" He asked, unsure whether he'd heard correctly.
"She thinks I'm in love with you and I'm not, but she won't have it! She's so controlling, she has to have everything her way. I have to stay away from you cause she wants me to be shipped off to the crone only knows where to have some ponce's children. I have to talk to my father. He won't let her do it. It's her and Sansa, they're both so perfect. Why can't you be more like Sansa, she asks me. So what if I don't want to marry a lord, it's not her decision. You'll come with me to talk to my father, won't you Gendry?" He winced slightly at her words.
"Arya, I'm not sure that's an entirely good idea. And if it makes any difference, I do think you're pretty..."
"Stupid bull! I'm not pretty. Why do you think I have the nickname 'horseface'. Please just come with me this once, for me? If you want us to stay friends then come, cause if not, my mother will likely have me locked away somewhere, sewing for hours on end, and you won't see me." Arya cringed at the thought. Gendry sighed and then nodded his head.
"Thank you, I will come back tomorrow and we can go. You need to be able to get on your feet." She walked towards the door and paused in the frame.
"This is a great help Gendry, I owe you a favor." That was when she left.
Next Day...
Arya quickly dressed in her usual garb and ran to Gendry's room. He was dressed and walking the length of the room, with Jory at his side for support. As she watched, Gendry stumbled and nearly fell, but Jory was quick enough to break his fall. Pity gnawed at Arya. If I'd left him any longer in the snow...she shook that thought from her head, she had enough to contend with today. She coughed into her hand to make her presence known and Gendry frantically spun round to find the source of the sound, only to land in a heap on the floor.
"If your done crawling around on the floor, can we go?" She asked, trying to repress a giggle. Gendry tried to lift himself up but he couldn't.
"Here, let me help you," Arya grasped his underarms and helped pull him to his feet. "Thanks Jory, I will take him from here." Jory nodded his agreement and left the room.
"Come on Gendry, lets go. Father will be in his solar, most likely talking to Luwin." They hobbled out the door, with Gendry putting most of his weight on Arya, an arm flung across her shoulder and the other resting to grasp anything else for support along the way.
"That's it Gendry, keep going," She said as an almost whisper "We're nearly there."
As they rounded the corner, Eddard's solar came into view. When they approached the door, muffled voices could be heard from inside. Some discussion no doubt. Arya tentatively rapped on the door and the voices stopped. "Who is it?" Ned's voice rang out.
"It's me." She replied. Shuffling could be heard from behind the door and the scraping of the bolt as it grated against the door swung open to reveal her father standing with an expression that suggested he was deep in thought. "Come in, Arya, and sit Gendry down." She nodded and Gendry smiled a small, shy smile in Ned's direction as Arya led him to a chair. "What's the problem, you two?" Ned asked, a slight hint of amusement in his voice. "Father, we need to talk, alone..." Arya said with all seriousness, glancing at Luwin who was stood by the window, pointedly. Ned took a seat behind his carved table and politely told Luwin to leave. He reclined and steepled his fingers, waiting for Arya to begin. "It's mother...she's-"
"Arya, you must understand that your mother only has your best interests at heart-"
"She's told me to stay away from Gendry!" Ned wasn't expecting that.
"What?" He asked.
"She told me it wasn't right for me to be around him because it wasn't ladylike, and now Sansa's being the perfect daughter again and doing everything mother says. I've been forced to move chambers and I have had to physically hide from my mother to try and talk to Gendry and now she thinks I'm in love with him, which I'm not! She even said that Gendry wasn't worthy of having the throne and that he will always be a bastard!"
"Your mother said this?" Ned asked, his voice low and calm though Arya could tell he was angered.
"Yes!" She replied with a huff. Gendry had not uttered a word since entering the room and looked on at the discussion with slight trepidation, feeling as if he was intruding on something private, even though it concerned him. Ned Stark breathed out a long sigh and rubbed his eyes tiredly. Arya had noticed that as the days went on, her father looked more fragile and old. His face had started to wrinkle and he had laugh lines around his mouth and eyes where many a smile had been shared. He was getting older and age was taking its toll. "I knew this would happen. I will talk to your mother, she should not of said that. For now, you may have your old chambers back. Gendry is clearly capable of movement so we shall have him moved to some other part of the castle that will suit his needs. Your sister will also be spoken to, since the Joffrey incident, I fear she has become more spiteful. This is all I can do for you Arya, I wish I could do more but I cannot." Ned said all this with a formal tone to his voice.
"Thank you, father!" She ran to the other side of the table and hugged Eddard fiercely. He cuddled her and patted her head affectionately, like she was 10 again. "Off with you now, Arya. I need to speak Gendry alone, it is of great importance." She stopped to query it but thought better of it and turned and left.
Ned turned to Gendry with a look on his face that spoke importance. "Gendry, I am sure you would rather being doing something else than sitting in my solar wondering why in the name of the seven I have called you hear. The truth is that it is time, Gendry. Do you remember what we spoke about when you came here?," Gendry nodded, "there is an uprising in the south. The Lannisters are raising an army in the name of Joffrey who has been removed from the throne. They are still trying to dispute everything about his birth. King Robert has warned me of this uprising. Many houses, great and small, are rallying to the Lannister banner and in a few months there will be war. A war so large and damaging it will effect the whole of Westeros. The time has come for you to be a king. You must ride to the all the great houses of the North and warn them, get them to join us. Only you can do this. Only a true king of Westeros can do this..."
Well, Gendry was not expecting that. He sat in stunned silence for a moment, processing all the information. He never thought that time would come, at least not for a while. He had begun to get settled in Winterfell and now he was going to be sent off to fight a war. Lord Eddard said the truth was that his time had come, but the truth was that Gendry was not ready. He would have to lead, he would have to fight and he would have to...kill. He swallowed past the lump in his throat. "When do I go?" What else can I do?
"In three days time, we will ride to the different lords in the North. I will come with you, I do not expect you to face this burden alone. We will tell them what is happening and the consequences of the Lannisters if they do not join us. There will be no more to do after that except fight, when the time comes. It will be no easy task, many of the lords in the North are stout and will be reluctant to fight with us because you are Southron. But they remember your father and what he did for them and for that reason they will join us."
Gendry had nothing to say. He felt warn out and like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. "I am sorry that it is you that must do this Gendry but you will not be alone. I will stand by you, I swear on my sword. Please, do not mention any of this to Arya. She is stubborn and will want to come along but she is too young. I do not doubt that she cannot fend for herself but she is still my daughter and if anything were to happen to her then I would blame myself. Anyway, she will find out herself soon enough, when we leave."
"I understand." Gendry replied. Why did it have to be him? And now I must keep this from Arya, she will not be happy when she finds out.
"You may go, Gendry." Ned said, his voice filled with sorrow. I'm so sorry Gendry, you do not deserve this burden.
Gendry got up and hobbled over to the door. He opened it and Arya was leaning against the wall with her eyes closed. She wasn't asleep but he didn't know what she was doing so he just watched her. "What are you gawking at?" She asked, her voice ladled with sarcasm. She had cracked open an eye an eye and was watching him intently. "I wasn't gawking, I was thinking." She could hear the sorrow in his voice immediately. "Gendry, what's wrong?" He shook his head and told her nothing. He smiled a false smile to make it seem more believable but Arya knew better. "Fine, don't tell me what's wrong, I'm bound to find out anyway." She flung an arm around his waist and he draped the other over her shoulder as she helped him down the hall. This was going to be a long three days for Gendry.
A/N: I know I'm horrible and haven't updated in months. I've been back at school and this year I start all my exams so I've been doing coursework and everything so my time is valuable. At the moment I am ill hence why I am able to update. Hopefully things will be more regular now. I understand that maybe some of you are confused by background of the story. If you are then please PM and I can help. Please don't stop reading, just message me and hopefully I will be able to answer any questions you may have. Anyway, things in this story should be kicking off a bit more now as I'm sure you have probably gathered. Oh and also, would anyone like to be a beta reader for this story, it means you'd get to find out what happens before anyone else ;) I think it would be nice to have someone look over my story before I submit it, I'd hate for there to be errors as I'm sure there are no matter how many times I've checked it. If you're interested then PM me. I hope you enjoyed. Please R&R. :)