A/N: I am aware of the inconsistency in titles in this chapter. Rickon should really be prince Rickon but I have Brienne calling him Lord. Whether Arya is Queen in her own right or regent Bran is the real king in the North. I'm going with Lord Rickon in this because it makes my head hurt less writing it, a prince is still a lord and Rickon does not want to be called a prince anyway...

Re the comment on Dany: I get it, I really do and I appreciate the feedback. I don't believe anybody in my story thinks they can force Dany to marry Aegon. If it says that anywhere please tell me and I will amend it. It was specifically said earlier on that Dany might not have him but whether she will or not will come out when they meet. She did say in one of the book chapters that if Aegon had lived they might have married though I'm not saying either way what my plans are on that. Her fertility is not widely known so unless Dany tells them they won't be thinking anything. I know it is taking me a while to get to it but they will meet and things will become clearer then (and even more complicated too).

Chapter 64: Brienne

There had been a lapse in the letters from Queen Arya. The last had been sent to Rickon and it was short. Brienne knew that Arya sent the letter from the Riverlands. She worried about what it might mean. Lady Stoneheart accused Brienne of breaking her oath. Does Arya now think I have failed her too? The silence seemed to speak volumes.

Lord Rickon felt it too. He continued to apply himself to his lessons with her but he had begun riding his pony through the woods with minimal guards and Shaggydog. He wanted to do things on his own. The boy grew wilder again until one day he simply went missing. It took hours to locate him hidden away in the crypts and when they did Shaggydog was vicious. Rickon would not speak until late in the night. When he finally broke his silence Brienne was disturbed.

"Arya is hurt" was all he would say.

Aly Mormont tried to tell him he was wrong, that they had no news of a defeat but Brienne was disquieted. An injury might explain the lack of letters just as well as the other explanation Brienne had suspected but surely somebody else would write them with news. Brienne waited and tried unsuccessfully to calm Rickon.

A distraction came in the form of men at the gates of Winterfell. A messenger sought out Brienne and she was shocked to see that she knew the visitors. Harwin looked tired but he also appeared cowed. Gendry looked much the same as Brienne remembered him. His coal black hair still hung in his eyes and those blue eyes still looked angry. He still wore that same scowl. There was something else though, a determination that had not been there before. There were others with them. Brienne knew they were also from the Brotherhood but she did not know their names.

"Queen Arya sent me" Harwin said quickly.

Brienne nodded to Aly and the visitors were allowed through the gates. Lord Rickon was away in the godswood despite his presence having been requested in the great hall. Both Harwin and Gendry were awkward and Brienne knew immediately that they had tidings they did not wish to share with the others at Winterfell. She asked them to walk with her as soon as the formalities were completed, remembering what Arya had once said of her private place.

Harwin knew the way better than she did and he eagerly walked with her. He knelt at the heart tree in silence when they arrived. The fact that he was praying to the old gods made her feel more disquieted. Brienne stood by awkwardly and Gendry looked as uncomfortable as she felt. It was a relief when Harwin rose to rejoin them.

"You did not warn her about her mother" was the first thing he said.

"I did not know what to say" Brienne replied. "She has some strong views on death."

Gendry and Harwin shared a look.

"That is certainly true my lady" Harwin said, shaking his head. "She is not the same girl we knew at Winterfell or from the Brotherhood."

Gendry set his jaw and scowled. "None of us are the same."

Brienne could not stand the mystery any longer. "What happened in the Riverlands? What brought you here?"

They both looked surprised. "She did not tell you?"

Brienne shook her head in response. "We have heard little from Queen Arya. Her brother is getting worried."

Harwin reached into the sack he was carrying and produced a crown. Brienne recognised it instantly.

"Arya tried to speak to her mother. She tried to intervene in a judgement. She gave up her sword but she had hidden knives. I never expected her to be so angry."

"We should have expected her anger" Gendry said. "I just never thought she would be unhappy to see her."

He was thinking of the girl he knew. Brienne was not at all surprised that the girl had been angry. It was the exact reaction she had feared.

Harwin shook his head. "She wasn't unhappy to see her mother. It was seeing her as she was." He looked at Brienne then fingered the crown. "Lady Stoneheart is dead by Arya's hand."

Brienne did not know what to say. "She killed her mother?" Brienne had imagined a lot of outcomes to the meeting. I did not imagine that.

Gendry became defensive. "She was already dead."

"Thoros said she could lead" Harwin said softly. "She said the men should ask Aegon's mercy or take the black. I was instructed to bring the crown to Winterfell because I was once her father's man." His tone was sad.

Brienne looked at it. "I suggest you take it to the castellan, Aly Mormont. Lord Rickon may not react well to the sight of it."

Harwin nodded and took his leave. Brienne was left with Gendry. He had warmed to her a little before she had last left the hollow hill but he was back to being aloof again now. He took a deep breath and pushed his hair back out of his eyes. Brienne waited for him to speak but he stayed silent.

"What are your plans Gendry?" she asked, hoping to prompt him into speaking.

"You were right" he said gruffly instead.

Brienne tried to think back to determine what she was right about. "What do you mean?"

"Queen Arya said the same thing you did m'lady" he looked at the ground. "She said I should find a better way to be the knight I wanted."

"Oh" Brienne did not know what else to say. "What is happening with the children at the Inn?"

Gendry shook his head. "Others are looking out for them." He sighed. "I was originally supposed to go to the Wall. Everybody in our group except Harwin is headed there."

"You are young to be making that decision" Brienne said awkwardly. Gendry began to scowl again and Brienne knew she had hit a nerve. "Stay here a few days first. It looks like a storm is coming."

Gendry nodded. "I will earn my keep. I know there is a forge here." The smallest of smiles crossed his face for an instant. "She did once say I could smith for her brother."

Gendry kept his word. There was no shortage of work for him. There had not been a smith in Winterfell for years and Lord Rickon was curious enough to stay close to the castle after his lessons with Brienne to watch Gendry work. Brienne found them speaking of Arya and of swords. Gendry was far more forthcoming about swords than he was about Arya. Brienne could see he was tense talking about her.

Harwin had spoken for a time with the young She-Bear. His father had been master of horse and they were willing to accept him working with the horses. He confided in Brienne that it was more than he had hoped for.

"After the way Her Grace looked at me I felt like I failed the Starks."

Brienne thought once again of Sansa. "Sometimes no matter what we do we cannot avoid feeling like we have failed."

The snow came down as expected. The storm lasted three days and was followed by ravens. They bore the Targaryen seal rather than a direwolf and Brienne could see that the young She-Bear shared her anxiety. Brienne took the letter addressed to Rickon and sat with him while he read it. He was getting better but still needed some help. It was in Prince Aegon's hand and Brienne tensed from the very first words.

Lord Rickon,

I am sorry to bring you bad tidings. Our host was attacked and dozens of our men perished. Your sister fought very bravely and was injured in the process. I am writing to you at her request and on her behalf. Rest assured she will make a full recovery.

We are both grieving the loss of Ser Rolly Duckfield. I know you will take his death hard just as we have. He was most fond of you and spoke of you often. Your sister wishes for him to have his final resting place at Winterfell. He did not have a home but I know he felt welcome there.

Please do not fret about Arya. She is receiving the best of care and is sitting beside me as I write, teasing me about my letters and scolding me for ignoring her input. She loves you and misses you most fiercely.

Aegon Targaryen

The news was troubling. Lord Rickon sat quietly through the entire letter though Brienne saw that he was upset by Duck's death. He was not as angered as Brienne might have expected by Arya's injuries. She remembered his claim that Arya was hurt.

He already knew.

Brienne tried to push away the worry she felt. She knew the Starks were connected differently through the direwolves. Just because I don't understand it does not make it wrong. She dearly wanted to take the parchment from him when they finished reading. The words were warmer than any of Queen Arya's letters and that was the problem. It was too familiar and Brienne no longer needed to imagine what was happening in the Riverlands between the prince and Queen Arya.

When she made it to the great hall at dinner Aly Mormont had her own tidings. The prince had notified her of the death of Galbart Glover and injury of her mother and others with the Northern army. The young She-Bear did not look stricken. When Brienne asked her about it, she brushed it off.

"We grow up on Bear Island expecting this news and worse."

They are raised as warrior women.

Gendry disappeared early after dinner and Brienne found him in the forge, working away still. His expression was tense.

"The Prince was very clear that Queen Arya will recover" she offered.

Gendry paused to dip the metal he was working on into water. It hissed and she could see him scowling.

"Her brother told me."

He began to beat against it again. It had seen better days. Brienne knew he was trying to repair dented armour more so than creating new pieces. Her eye was drawn to the beginnings of something new though, sitting on the bench behind him. He saw her looking.

"I do not have much time but Lord Rickon wanted a sword. I will leave after it is finished."

Brienne tensed now. "He is only a boy."

Gendry looked at her with clear impatience. "How can you still think like that? He has seen war. His whole family have been involved in it. He saw men killed in front of him. His sister wasn't much older when she was given hers."

He is right. Brienne still didn't like it. She thought of Lady Catelyn and Queen Arya. Would they wish this? The answer came quickly. The answer may have been a negative when Lady Catelyn was alive. Brienne could now picture Arya condoning it. Lady Stoneheart would most certainly agree. Gendry's voice cut across her thoughts.

"He read me some of the letter."

His jaw was clenched tight and he began hammering again. Brienne waited for him to pause before she answered.

"He should not have done that."

"I told him the same. He wanted to know why she is still gone if she misses him so much."

Brienne did not know what to say to that.

"The Prince meant well" was all she could think of.

Gendry's expression darkened. "I met him. He's not as good as everybody keeps saying."

Brienne wondered at what that meant. The Prince was by no means perfect but given the alternative was bastards bred of incest who had brought war, there were few objecting to Aegon bar Stannis and his limited supporters. Even he had not been heard of since leaving Winterfell. Unless...

"He and Queen Arya are friends" she said defensively.

Gendry gave her an irritated look. "She can be friends with whoever she likes. She always was. That doesn't change what I think."

"Oh" she said, "What did he do to offend you?" Aside from his blunt comment when Brienne had first met him, the prince had been nothing but courteous to her. He had been kinder than most and men usually found him good company with his ready smiles and japes. He was a little like Renly in that though it was the only resemblance.

Gendry flushed a little. "I cannot say" he frowned then elaborated anyway. "There was a girl." Brienne understood what he was saying but it made no sense. She could not see the Prince doing such a thing with Arya right there. Gendry scowled. "She said it didn't happen but she's wrong."

Brienne remained silent. It reminds him of his father. Gendry resumed work, this time picking up the metal which would form Rickon's sword.

"I don't think he is like King Robert" Brienne said quietly.

Gendry began to heat the metal. "It won't make any difference to me now. I'll be at the Wall, like I was meant to be. We'll see if there is honour in that."

Brienne left him to his work. Lord Rickon was in and out of the forge until the day Gendry and those headed for the Wall left. Rickon liked Gendry and the presence of the smith offered a distraction from the bad news. The prospect of having a new sword also dulled Rickon's grief over Duck's death a little though Brienne could see he was as angry as he was upset. She and Aly let him be, knowing that after Gendry left things were likely to be more difficult.

The sword was presented to Rickon the day before the men left. It was a longsword designed with a long hilt. Rickon could use two hands to wield it until he grew into it more. Gendry had made it a little smaller to account for Rickon's age but it would be good for at least a few years. Brienne watched Gendry and Rickon spar to test the new blade with a careful eye. Gendry needs proper training. He had all the instincts to be formidable but no teaching. Brienne supposed that they would give him that at the Wall.

When it came time for the men to depart the next day a gathering saw them off. Rickon watched the small group leave, his face darkening as he held his new blade as though he thought somebody might take it from him. Brienne put her hand on his shoulder hoping to reassure him and said her farewells.

As the party rode through the gates Brienne remembered what Gendry had said of honour in their conversation in the forge. It brought to mind something Thoros said to her before her first meeting with Lady Stoneheart. Some say it does not matter how a man begins, but only how he ends. Brienne could only hope that was true. There was time yet for all of them.

Postscript: So I tried to write Gendry as in character as I could. I didn't want some mopey version of him. He is better than that. There has been far too much emphasis on Donal Noye and his death leaving the armoury at the Wall vacant. I believe it is foreshadowing Gendry eventually ending up there so there we are. I was determined he was not going to disappear because I believe he is important to the story. I tried to hint at this early to Gendry fans but could not elaborate without spoiling. Hopefully that has consoled anybody who thought I wrote him out.