The Old Bear's Daughter

ᵗᵉⁿ

Years had passed and both Juliana and Gendry had changed physically. 

Gendry didn't look as boyish anymore as he once had and now wore his hair shorter while Juliana also looked more grown up and wore sand-coloured clothes instead of the Night's Watch's black. She had also started to braid half of her hair in small braids, giving her somewhat of a roguish look and making her look less like a lady.

Neither of them had changed a lot in character though. Their relationship with each other had let both of them keep most of their earlier traits even though they were both no longer children.

A voice interrupted their busy work day in which Gendry was forging armour and weapons while Juliana sold them, occasionally Juliana would help with the smith's work but she had never managed to become as talented as Gendry.

"I wasn't sure I'd find you."

The couple turned to see Davos Seaworth, clad in all black look at them.

"Thought you might still be rowing. I looked in shops, taverns, inkeeps. Should have known to come straight to the Street of Steel."

"Aren't you worried about the gold cloaks?" Gendry asked.

"Haven't been here in years. Why should they recognize me? Sometimes I hardly do," he walked over to a stand with swords, "Nothing fucks you harder than time. Anybody give you any trouble?" he turned back to look at them.

"Here we are, arming Lannisters, and we never get a second look." Gendry shrugged, "But you were right. Safest place for me was right under the queen's nose."

"Don't be sure. Safety is never a permanent state of affairs," he stepped closer to the two of them, "Bad things are coming."

Gendry nodded, "You came o get us. You want us to come with you."

"Well, the thing you need to understand is-"

"We're ready," Juliana told him, slinging a bag over her shoulder.

"You-"

"Let's go," Gendry cut him off as Juliana threw him his own bag.

"You should know what you're heading into."

"What do you think I've been thinking about with every swing of the hammer?" Gendry asked. "How happy I am making weapons for the family that killed my father? The family that tried to kill me?" he scoffed, "We've been getting ready. Never knew what for, but we've always known we'd know when it comes."

Davos nodded, "You might want to bring two of those swords."

Juliana snorted, "Better not, he'll stab himself by accident." Gendry gave her a look as he went over and got his self-made Warhammer. "He's better with his hammer and I'm more of a dagger person."

Juliana was wearing two daggers strapped her lower back so she could pull one from each side and had a throwing knife in her boot. Other small knives were hidden in her clothing which she could easily throw.

*****

Keep your father's name to yourself," Davos told Gendry as they walked along the shore, "Situation's complicated enough already."

Gendry placed his hammer in a boat they were lead to. "Well, who should I say I am?"

Davos didn't reply as they saw two gold cloaks come their way. He turned to Gendry, "I told you, Clovis, if we don't get out of here soon, someone's going to-"

"You there!"

Davos walked over to them, spreading his arms to show that he wasn't hiding any weapons under his cloak while Juliana stepped in front of Gendry, him slinging his arms around her waist to cover up her daggers.

"No weapons, friends. I promise," Davos said, "What can I do for you?"

"Is that your boat?"

"It is."

"The docks are that way," one of the gold cloaks said, pointing in the direction of the docks.

"That they are. I try to stay away from them to avoid good men such as yourselves," he got out a pouch of money, "Still five gold dragons?"

The taller one of the two laughed, "Are you joking?"

"You must be even older than you look," The other one spoke, "15."

"15?!"

"Apiece."

Davos sighed before handing them the money, "I can't say it was a pleasure doing business with you."

He turned around to walk back to them but stopped again as one of them asked, "What's in the boat?"

"Not more gold," Davos answered, as he turned around again.

"Wine?" one of them asked.

"I like wine," the other one said.

"Or hams."

Davos hesitated for a moment before stepping back, "Come have a look."

He flipped over a piece of cloth to hide the hammer and reveal baskets of fermented crab meat at the same time. 

"Fermented crab," he pointed out.

"What?"

"Fermented crab," he repeated slowly. "One bucket of this triples the brothel's earnings for the week. A man thinks he's done. He's ready to go back to his loving family. But before he gets his breeches up, his lady of the hour pops a tiny spoon of that into his mouth. Five minutes later, he's back in the race. Here, have a taste."

He handed the two of them some crab meat who pulled faces as they chewed, "I'd hurry to your favourite establishment, or you'll put a hole in that chainmail."

They shared a laugh as the gold cloaks nodded and turned to leave. They had almost left the beach as a blond half-man dressed in black came walking towards them. 

The gold cloak turned to look at him as he passed them on the way to Davos, Gendry and Juliana, "Oi, dwarf!"

The man made his way towards their boat as Davos hurried to the soldiers, "I really wouldn't try any more until you see how the first bite hits you."

"That dwarf..." one of the men said, ignoring Davos as they passed him.

"Where did you get that scar?" the other one asked, referring to a gash that ran across the man's face.

"Fishhook. Some men you just can't teach."

"We was looking for a dwarf with a scar like that a while back."

Davos got out his money bag again, "Perhaps there's some arrangement?"

The gold cloaks turned around, "Arrangement? You gonna arrange to pay us more than Queen Cersei-"

The man never got to finish his sentence as Juliana had already cut his throat while Gendry took a swing with his hammer and smashed in the face of the other man.

"These are Gendry and Juliana," Davos explained.

"They'll do."