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chp 3 - Kings Landing

Arya was 16 years old when was informed she was going to King's Landing along with her father, who would become the Hand, and her sister, who would finally marry Prince Joffrey.

She knew that her father only wanted her to go so he could offer her hand to some Lord, and it annoyed her even more. The only thing take she was interested in King's Landing was Gendry.

A week before her departure Jon was being sent to The Wall, and she couldn't be more depressed. Her brother went to her before his departure, he gave her the most precious gift she ever received and they had a conversation that passed by her head during all her travel to the capital.

Her eyes were still sparkling with passion for her sword when Jon started to talk about their separation.

"Little sister, it is hard for me to see that you are no longer little. Maybe next time we see each other you might even be someone's wife".

"Don't be silly Jon. This ain't me. I will be like Nymeria, conquer Lands and people, they will write songs about me". And she pointed needle to his neck.

"Of course they will! There never was a girl like you" He hugged her "I sent a letter to Gendry. Told him to look after you in the capital. He knows how the Red Keep works, and you are not a lady like they are used to, he will be a good friend, and keep you away from much trouble".

"Thanks Jon! You are the best." She had tears in her eyes "The only thing that makes me believe that King's Landing wont be a living hell is Gendry".

"I hope him to be the brother I won't be able to be for you". Arya gave him a little smirk. In her heart she wished Gendry to be by her side, but not as a brother. She knew he was a great fighter. He could fight by my side in the battles, he hates King's Landing, he would leave with me.

Their arrival at the Red Keep was a big feast, wich Arya knew was bothering her father, but was delighting her sister. Arya was loving the food, and sometimes she would hear a joke or a tale that were worth her attention. But since her arrival she couldn't find Gendry. In her heart she believe he would welcome her, but clearly she was mistaken.

After a few hours she had had enough, and announced she would retire. A goldcloak was chosen to escort her, but when they arrived in the entrance of the Tower of the Hand a voice came from behind then.

"Ser Aiden, you are being summoned at the main yard," With a very serious face Gendry said that and not even looked at Arya.

The goldcloak looked at Gendry with disdain "By whom, bastard".

"By your goldcloak brothers," She couldn't help but notice that Gendry wasn't taller than the man, but was much stronger "And you should watch you language when in the presence of Lady Arya". And she also notice a shadow of a smirk when he referred to her a lady.

"I must escort the said lady to her chambers before... " Ser Aiden started, but Gendry interrupted with a strong and demanding voice.

"I can escort Lady Arya. I'm familiar with the Tower of the Hand".

The gold cloak excused himself. Gendry started to walk without talking to her. This made Arya start a protest.

"Are you going to ignore me Gen..." But with his hand he silenced her, and whispered in her ear "Not here Arya".

They resumed their walk. After a few minutes they arrived at her was upset that they have not exchange a word along the way. But Arya wouldn't let it be she thought of a way to be alone with him.

"Ser Gendry! I'm afraid I'm not strong enough to move my chest, maybe you could help me". She used her most innocent voice.

He gave her a small smile "I'm no ser milady, but I can help you with joy" She opened the door and both entered. He closed the door behind him.

When completely alone she notice his posture change, he looked more relaxed and his eyes were less hard. She hugged him and felt the urge to kiss his cheek, but she fought it.

He let her go and said "Move your chest? If you want to survive here you will need to be a better lier," He moved and sat in the chair of her vanity.

"Maybe I won't have to lie?" His smile grew wider.

"Believe me Arya, you will need to lie. I don't intend to scare you, but you are not an average lady, and I don't want to see you in trouble". He was being honest, Arya could notice the truth in his eyes.

"So you will teach me how to live here?" she moved to her bed and sat in it.

"I don't want you to become one of them, but I will give you some wise hints" He stood up "I must go! People will not appreciate our proximity so there will not be public interaction".

"For how long? If I start to frequent the forge or the stables we can see each other,"He adjusted his dark blue cloak. "That's not how things work here Arya, highborn ladies stay in the castle, when they want to ride a guard or a maid arrange everything".

"This is stupid"

He gave her a small smile "This is King's Landing". Arya notice that she liked Gendry when they were alone. Even in Winterfell he acted different when alone with her. More natural, less hesitating or brutal.

"I understand your need to leave. But tell me where is your room?" He made a face that clearly wasn't approving "I will go there only if I'm sure no one is watching me. You don't have to worry".

"It's in the same floor of Lord Renly. I was supposed to live with the servants, but he wanted me to have a better education and a better occupation in the keep. Mostly I put things together, solve some structure problems and all, but sometimes I help my uncle with his functions as Master of the Law".

"I will need more directions than that to find your room" She said ignoring the last part.

With a annoyed look he said "Maybe I don't want you to find it," He marched to her door "I don't want to get in trouble, like we almost did in Winterfell".

He did not point it out, but she knew he was talking about their kiss.

"Don't be stupid Gendry. It was the wine, and I just want to know for an urgency" It was lame excuse, but was the only one that came to her head.

"If you have an urgency you should call your father," He was already by her door, she rushed to him and gave him another hug. "What was this hug for Arya?"

"I just want to thank you for being nice to me. You are my only friend here" She said looking to his deep blue eyes. Arya wasn't good at putting in words her feelings, but Gendry deserved to know why she was attached to him.

"I live here since my birth and only now, with you here, I have someone who I can trust in this keep" He cupped her face with his right hand."Be careful Lady Stark" and this time he was careless and kissed her lips. It was a smoother kiss than the one she gave him, and a bit longer too. "Bye Arya!"

She hold his hand in her face " When will I see you again?"

"I don't know" and he opened the door and left.

"Arya! Please don't be ungrateful! You must be better dressed for this dinner. Do it for me" Sansa was nearly crying. She couldn't believe in Arya's behavior. Tonight King Robert would announce to the court the Tourney in honor of their father. Sansa was already too involved in the southern ways, her focus was to learn how to become a proper queen.

Arya had just left her bath and showed no hurry "I'm attending to this stupid feast, this should be enough."

"You just can't behave, can you? I know father would love to see you acting properly in front of the council "

"Why should I pay the council any respect? They are not worth of it" Arya said combing her hair with disdain.

"ARYA! You will never repeat these words," The girls hadn't notice Ned Stark's arrival in the room. "Why are you saying such a thing?" He looked at Arya with a serious expression.

Ned could see she was caught out of guard, but he knew she would not take her words back, she was too much like Lyanna to do it."Go ahead Arya! Tell me the reason for this statement''.

"Because it is true! This tourney will be a circus, the council does not want real men in it. I think they are afraid Joffrey will be humiliated.

"This is no sense Arya! We don't make any kind of control over the participants."

"So why won't you allow Gendry to participate? The council is sending him away to some useless task in Fleas Bottom so he won't fight as he did in Winterfell!"

"Sansa, you need to finish getting ready, go to your room, your sister is already aware of her lateness. You better leave." A very red Sansa left with wide eyes.

Arya did not appreciated the look that formed in her father's face "I see no reason for you to plead in his favor. Is this boy the motive of your bad behavior? Did Gendry Waters come to you and said this?".

"No" She half-lied "I heard the boys at the stable talking about it".She had met Gendry after breaking her feast, Somedays they would met in the morning others after dinner. They already were nearly caught numerous times, but Arya felt that there was a strange force that would attract them to each other. Every encounter their bond seamed to become stranger, and their interaction more physical.

" I will not question your reasons for being at the stables," He really looked annoyed "But I want to know why you are worried if Gendry Waters will take part at the tourney or not".

"I have no interest in that. You already forbidden me to bet at it," She said trying to make her father smile, but failed."It's only that he is friend with Jon, and I know that Jon would stand by his side. Maybe I feel like by doing this I am being close to Jon". She lied. Arya's true reason was that she wanted Gendry to fight and win the jousts, this way he would show he was worth a knight title. He was a great fighter, but was long as remained at the capital he would always be the royal bastard. More than once he told her that he would leave for Storms End, and Arya feared that she wouldn't support living in Kings Landing without him.

"Be ready for the feats in 20 minutes Arya. And I don't want to hear about it anymore,"Ned turned to leave, but before reaching for the door he said "Sansa has been so worried about learning how to fit in Kings Landing that I am surprised to see you acting just like the people I despise in here".

"Don't say it! I'm acting just like myself, not like one of the snakes that crow in this keep".

"Yes, you are! And I won't tolerate it" Arya could see in his eyes that she had crossed some line. "I have made my point Arya, you better listen to me and remember how you were raised" and he left her.

His words hurt her, she couldn't believe that her father was seeing her with bad eyes, she was always the troublesome daughter, but she never had her good nature questioned. She hated the capital, and hated everyone in here, but Gendry. And in that moment she wanted to see him.

Gendry was having a bad week. With the Tourney of the hand preparation he was having lots of things to do. He hadn't had time to steal a few minutes with Arya Stark in four days. He was planning to sneak into the tower of the Hand during the night, he was missing her, and her kisses, and her touches...all about Arya Stark was being missed by his heart, body and mind.

When Gendry finally arrived at his room after the feast he was planning the best way to enter her room without being noticed, but something at the far corner, near his window got his attention. He went for his sword and heard the most incredible thing he could imagine.

"Let's leave all this behind?" Arya eyes showed she had being crying. But he would never ask her about it, he knew she would leave any question about her tears without an answer.

He went to her, hold her hand and guided her to his bed. He kissed her check. "I believe this is the first time a highborn lady ask for bastard to runaway with her. Some Meister should write about it".

She gave him a small smile, but continued " We have no future here! You will never become a knight and as soon as an opportunity appears they will send me away to marry some stranger".

He hugged her. He had never seeing her in this state of sadness "We can built our future. I can go to Storm's End, my uncle said he already has in mind someone who could finish my training and give me the title. And I believe your father will allow you to chose you husband. If we are lucky enough he might let you ... "

"Let me choose you? Do you really believe that he is going to let me wait until you are a fine knight and allow me to marry you?" Her anger was getting the best of her, Gendry could see it "I'm the one who is supposed to believe in songs, not you. I feel like you are not taking me seriously".

She stood up and was staring at his eyes. He could see that something was annoying her "Of course I'm not! There is nothing that deserved to be taken seriously".

"How can you say that? This is our best opportunity, our only way out of this place, and this kind of life" She was trying hard to remain calm, but he was making her loose her temper "No one will try to put us down. We would be free ...".

"And we would have a happy life full of freedom for a few months, maybe an entire year. Then you would realize everything you left behind..."

"This is not me I won't regret?"

"You will regret M'lady, and in no time you will be hating me and..."

"This aint me Gendry! I wasn't born to life in court, all this is making me ill. And I tought it annyed you too, but noe I can see that it doesn't".

He went to her and said right in her face with his blue eyes fixed on hers "Sure, because I love all these people looking at me like I had the plague. Sometimes I wish I was left to starvation at Fleas Bottom"

She huged him "Then why do you want to stay here. Come with me Gendry, let's give ourselves the chance" She was kissing his face softly.

"Because, M'lady, we can't chalenge the most influent people in Westeros and fear no consequence." And he hugged her even tigher

"And you do not fear the consequences of calling me M'lady?" she said while kissing his neck.

With a short laught he answered her "I fear the effect you have upon on me. Someday I might do something stupid, things more stupid than runing away with a highborn lady from the North".

"Just can't wait for the stupid things we might do together"

Ned Stark wasn't feeling comfortable with the situation. After the feast he received a letter from Stannis saying that they should met with urgency. He and Jory went to the address he provided, a filthy tavern with much more people than fit inside the place and a loud singer. Robert's brother was in a table with two other men, one wearing a well made cloak with a hood that was hiding well his identity, but not his high birth. The other man Ned was familiar with, it was Davos Seaworth, a known smuggler that found redemption when three of his fingers were lost.

Lord Stark sat in the table while Jory remained near the singer and noticed that the hidden man was in fact Renly Baratheon, this made his suspecious grow even more.

Stannis was the first to talk

"Eddard, we were never friends, but I know that you are one of the few people that my brother Robert can still call friend, if not the only". The man said in his usual harsh tone.

"I appreciate your words, but I know you didn't call me here in the hour to state the obvious."

But who answered Ned was Renly "Believe Ned, we don't want to stay here more than necessary. The reason for the meeting is that my brother and I have good reasons to believe the our dear Robert has been deceived by Cersei Lannister and her Oathbreaker brother. Jon Aryn was suspicious about it too, and I do think that thanks to his investigations his death was caused by anything but natural causes".

Ned's mind was trying to make a line in all this, but the obvious conclusion was too absurd to be truth. "Are you saying that the queen..."

"Should be sitting in a bed at a brothel, not by the kings side. That woman has no honor and is bringing nothing but shame to my good name" Stannis was clearly angry, and Ned knew he had more then enough reasons to be.

"Being this the truth I will do all in my reach to save Robert from this people, but do we have any profs? "

"Few! I found some people who claim to have seen Cersei touching her brother not properly" Davos said opening his mouth for the first time.

"And we also have Gendry" Renly said looking suspiciously to the content of his glass.

"Gendry?"

Stannis said " Even a blind can see that Gendry came from Robert. His looks, his eyes and even his temper scream Baratheon, even not carrying the same name was us. But Jofrey, Myrcela and Tommen, these children are abominations, they came from a sinful bed".

Ned couldn't believe in these things, but fooling himself would be pointless "We are dealing with serious accusations. And we must be careful, if they really murdered Jon Aryn we are in danger also".

"We are aware of it. But we can't change our usual behavior" Stannis said, but before he could complete Renly interupted him.

"Says the man who went back to Dragon's Stone"

"Renly, my fights with Robert are anything but anormal. You should know better, you were raised with us".

"This is pointless, Stannis. Ned, we called you here because we trust you and to inform about our plans. We Ned to keep Gendry in safety, but he can't suspect of anything. Our plan is to incentive him to be in the Tourney."

"But we already said no to this"

"I know, but the boy is stubborn and smart, if I use the right words he will take part, and it will be another act of disrespect and I will suggest to send he to Storm's End. He will be protected and we will be able to bring to knowlege the facts that will destroy the Lannisters".

"Not to mention that Cersei will be more than glad to keep him away from Robert". Satnnis completed.

" Will she?"

"Yes, she knows that Robert don't fight against Gendry's misbehavior because he admires it".

"What kind of misbehavior?"

"Gendry is a bastard and has a few memories of his life out of the keep. He often is seen giving food for the commoners, sometimes he goes to the maids and ask for clothing to be given to people. A guard already fought him because of it, as if a black eye would stop the boy,". Ned could tell that Stannis was there because it was the right thing to do, but Renly really like his illegitimate nephew.

"He is hardly a boy Renly" Stannis interrupt "We must make a king out of him".

Ned's concern about Gendry must have been in his face, because of what Renly said "He is a good man, Ned. He might not be King material, but he will be kind and prudent".

"Are you sure? Robert has other bastards. Maybe Edric would be a better choice" Ned couldn't point why, but he felt that Gendry wasn't worth of that much trust.

"Gendry is the older, his claim is the right one".

"He is a good men, Ned. He might not be King material, but he will be kind and prudent. I have faith in him".

"As far as I can see the whole kingdom will have to have faith in Gendry"

I'm sorry for taking soo long to update!