Arya Snow and Gendry Waters: Just Two Bastards

Jon's Arrival

The people sang down the streets of Winterfell, waiting for the return of the King in the North and the foreign queen, who was to bring three dragons. With every step Arya took, she could feel everything falling into place. Every living Stark back home, its what her mother and father would have wanted.

When the gates opened, Arya's heart almost burst. The first thing she saw was the flowing silver hair of a beautiful woman, sitting atop an almost more magnificent stallion. Then she saw him. She couldn't wait to give him a proper greeting.

"Jon!" She screamed and ran to him. He dismounted his black horse and so did the Mother of Dragons.

"My Gods..." Jon had tears in his eyes, "Arya!" He ran faster than his legs would allow, and when they touched he nearly took her down. Arya gasped. When she closed her eyes, tears came falling out. Jon picked her up and spin her around and made her giggle like a girl. She hit his back but allowed it all the same.

After a long while of hugging, Arya opened her eyes to see the village of people Jon had brought with him. Danaerys Targaryen smiled at her. She let go of her brother and cleared her throat. She bowed her head to Jon and Danaerys and said, "Your Grace, My King." Jon chuckled at that.

"This," he said, "Is Danaerys Targaryen, the rightful heir to the Iron Throne."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, my lady." the queen said to her, "Your brother has told me countless stories of you."

"Not all good, I hope," Arya said with a laugh, "Uh, er, I mean..." Arya fiddled with her tunic and struggled to find the words, "The pleasure is mine, your grace."

It wasn't until she lifted her head that she saw who was behind the queen. That face, she knew that face. The huge man stepped to the side of Danaerys.

"Arya fucking Snow." The Hound growled. "I can't believe you made it. You left me to die–"

"First I robbed you," Arya growled right back. "It's been a while."

"Too long," This was the first time she ever saw him smile. She smiled too. Jon and Danaerys looked concerned that she knew The Hound. Arya didn't know what else to say. She turned back to Jon, "Well, we should probably go in-"

"Arya, " A familiar voice called. She turned back to The Hound, but he wasn't the one talking. A slightly smaller man stepped out from behind the large man. Gendry.

She did nothing but look at him, questioning if it really was him. He opened his mouth to speak when he was interrupted.

"Now you two know each other?" Jon yelled out. "Come on you guys, I want to show you my home." He started off and the rest followed. Everyone except for Arya and Gendry, who were just staring at each other.

"Gods," Gendry sighed. "Arya, I only dreamed of this day." Still, Arya said nothing. "Is something wrong?"

"You left me. For good. You thought you would never see me again." She was emotionless.

"I didn't, Arya I can-"

She shook her head. "You can't just explain everything away. Life doesn't work like that."

"I know," he hung his head down. "I was stupid and I thought I would be happier with the brotherhood. I left them soon enough."

"Did you ever wonder what happened to me?"

"Of course I did," he scoffed. "You meant so much to me, I-" He stopped. "I never stopped thinking about you, even as I was tortured by the Red Woman."

"I didn't have it so easy either."

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely.

"There's no need to apologize," she shook her head. "You're here now."

She nudged him as they began to walk to Arya's rooms.

She poured them both cups of sweet blackberry wine and set his cup down beside him as he removed his heavy cloak. She bit her lip to keep from smiling.

"Don't you want to take a layer off?" Gendry said before sipping on his wine.

"I would, but, the problem is, I've got nothing on underneath." That made him spit up some wine back into his cup.

"Right. Right, I can see how that's a problem for you." He said, avoiding her eyes. "For both of us, I mean, that's a problem for us."

Arya giggled. "It was only a joke, bull," she pulled the tunic over her head, leaving a black top with grey detailing around the shoulders. They lifted their cups and took a sip, almost in unison. They looked at each other and laughed.

After some time, a maid knocked on the door asking for Arya. Gendry looked at her and made a face that could only mean one thing, "Ooo, a maid for the lady Arya?" She hit his shoulder and stood to face the dresser. She took off her top and trousers, leaving nothing behind. Gendry's eyes widened at the sight, but Arya never turned around. She pulled a long, flowing, grey gown out of the dresser.

Gendry saw scars tracing her belly. Knife wounds, He thought. But more than the scars, he saw her. The woman she had grown into was new to him. She wasn't the little girl dressing as a boy anymore. She was a proper lady now.

"Come in, Alyssa," Arya said to the maid waiting outside. When the door opened a small, yellow-haired girl came rushing in, so fast that she almost didn't see Gendry sitting on the lady's bed, and Gendry almost didn't see her, with everything happening in front of him. When Gendry and the girl realized each other, they both bowed their heads, embarrassed. The girl had Arya step into her dress and tied her up in it. The bodice was small but the rest of the dress hung from her hips, showing every curve on her body. Gendry watched her through the mirror hung on the wall in awe, not knowing exactly what to do. The maid watched him through the mirror, confused as to why he was here.

When the maid was done with her dress, she made to brush Arya's hair, but Arya put her hand up and said, "I can finish here, thank you." The maid curtsied and ran out.

Gendry, still looking at Arya through the mirror said, "I could have helped you with that, you know."

"With your big bull hands? I don't think so." She looked up at him, and then at herself. She let down her long brown hair from the bun behind her head. She was beautiful. She braided two strands of hair back and tied them together behind her, and pulled some hair out of the braids to cover half of her eyes. Gendry stood and walked towards her.

He pushed the hair away from her eyes, gently. "You shouldn't try to cover yourself up so much." He smiled, "You look lovely." He took his hands off her face and made to the door. Before touching the handle he turned around and said, "I hope you've saved a seat for me at the feast." And left.