Chapter 27. LOVE TRIANGLE

One hundred and twenty ships sailed out of White Harbor carrying Tara's family, army and gold. On the first trip to Westeros Tara left Akbar and the army behind. She wasn't there for his sea sickness. Whenever a soldier under Tara's command got injured or sick she was there to help with his recovery as much as she could be. One of the reasons the warriors under her command followed her.

Tara sits at Akbar's side giving him medicine for his sea sickness. Akbar's life vow had turned to respect and then respect turned to love. She was the embodiment of everything a Dothraki man would want in a wife. He looks at the healer and Maester Peter, "Khaleesi…" He says addressing her in Dothraki, "I am proud to serve you…Any Dothraki would…You freed me from Slavery…I have come to admire you…A woman such as yourself would be fought over by the Khals to wed you…I am no Khal…But my sword and heart would be yours…"

Tara smiles, "Your kind words are accepted…" She replies in Dothraki.

As Tara feeds him soup because that is all he can keep down Gendry enters the cabin where they are keeping Akbar. "Lady Tara…I have sharpened your swords."

"Thank you Gendry." He stalls searching for a quick subject. Tara looks back at him, "Is there something else?"

"Um…well the men were wondering why we are sailing to Braavos instead of Meereen."

"I have my reasons and I will share them in a few days…"

"How is he doing?" Before she can answer Akbar says something in Dothraki. Tara looks at him and smiles, "He is doing much better…"

"Alright!"

Tara watches as Gendry leaves the cabin and sighs. A few minutes later she goes on deck and finds him by the helm. He looks at Tara as she walks up, "You know he isn't that sick. He knows you would stay at his side that is why he is pretending to be sicker than he is…"

"That's interesting he said something similar about you…Something along the lines of always making an excuse to come around me…"

"Well that is ridiculous…"

Tara grabs his chin and forces him to look at her, "No it isn't…I remember how you spoke to me a while back when Robb chose Talisa…"

"Alright I admit it! I am in love with you. What man wouldn't be? But I am a bastard!"

"You are not just a bastard you are…"

Tara is interrupted by Hiram, "Look what we found!" Hiram says holding Arya by the arm. "The rat who has been stealing our supplies…"

"That is one large rat!" One man says.

"Let her go!" Tara commands, "What are you doing here?"

"I am your ward you are supposed to teach me!" Tara sighs and takes Arya to the cabin, "Is it true you betrayed my family." Tara tells Arya what happened and why. When Tara finishes Arya stands up and paces for a few minutes. She finally stops and looks at Tara, "It's not your fault! Not entirely…If Robb had kept his word…"

Tara smiles, "Things are more complicated when you are an adult…He is your brother and you should not have run away like that…"

"You're not going to send me back are you?"

"Well when we reach Braavos I will have to send you back…For now I will teach you what I can…"

When Tara wasn't tending to Akbar she taught Arya the sword and spear. The voyage across the narrow sea was long and training killed time. As they trained Arya notices the behavior of Gendry and Akbar. Akbar played up his sea sickness to spend more time with Tara. Gendry made any excuse to talk with her and when he did he made romantic overtures to Tara.

"We didn't finish our last conversation…" Gendry said standing over Tara and Arya as they played chess.

Tara takes Arya's bishop, "No we didn't…I was going to say before we got interrupted that you are not just any bastard…Your father was Robert Baratheon."

Arya looks up with her mouth open, "How do you know?" Gendry manages to ask in shock.

"Lord Eddard Stark told me in confidence a few days after we caught up with his son…"

"A bastard is still a bastard…"

"Would you like to be legitimized?"

Gendry just stares at her for a few seconds, "Only a royal can legitimize a bastard." Arya says breaking the silence.

Tara smiles, "Well I may know of a royal who for in exchange for my services will grant him the Baratheon name…" Then it dawns on Gendry but before he can speak Tara raises her hand. "We will talk more…"

Arya looks at Gendry as he leaves then she moves a pawn, "You are planning to join Daenarys Targaryen aren't you?" She asks in a whispered tone of voice. Tara nods, "Well I stand by my earlier asumption…I think you should chose Gendry…"

Tara moves the bishop, "I will keep that in mind...Check!"