Arya Snow and Gendry Waters: Just Two Bastards

Truth

Gendry woke to the smell of fresh bread and wild berries and warm milk. He sat up and felt pounding in his head. Arya saw that he has woken and rushed over to him. He squinted his eyes and put a hand up to hide from the sunlight. Arya giggled and put her hand up in place of his.

"Sleep well?" She asked, already knowing the answer.

"Can't remember how I slept." He rubbed his forehead. "What happened?"

"You came late to supper, became a lord, drank too much and then passed out right there." Arya stood up to close his curtains.

"Oh, right," Gendry responded. "Thanks for taking care of me. I didn't know how much lords were supposed to drink. It would be rude for me to have refused everyone's cups, right?"

"Yes," Arya pouted, "very rude." She brought over a tray with his meal.

"Thank you, my queen," Gendry japed. Arya pressed her lips together and looked at his food. She turned back to get his milk. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't say that."

"It's alright." It wasn't. "I wouldn't expect you to stop anyways."

"What would you have me call you instead?" He asked sincerely. Arya gave him a doubtful smile. "I'm serious. Anything you like."

"Arya would be nice," she muttered.

"I didn't mean that." He ripped off a bite of bread. "What's your title if not queen?"

"I don't have one. I told you," she set his warm milk down, "I'm no one."

"And I've told you," he retorted, "you're not no one."

She shook her head and pushed his milk towards him. "Drink. You'll need it."

In the godswood, Arya found Jon, sitting.

"Arya," he said when he saw her coming.

She looked into the pond at his feet. "It's not frozen anymore. It's beautiful. I almost forgot what it looked like."

"Did you miss it?" He asked.

"Of course I missed it," Arya said, taking her eyes off of the water. "I missed everything."

"Where did you go, the day Father died?"

"A man rescued me. He took me through the streets of kings landing and dressed me like a boy," she smiled, remembering. "I traveled with men heading to the Nights Watch. Thats where I met Gendry."

"And then after? Did you go to the Nights Watch?"

"No. I was at Harrenhal. For a time. With Gendry and Hot Pie. And at Harrenhal I found Jaqen H'ghar. He helped us escape," her smile faded. "We were taken in by the Brotherhood, Hot Pie stayed to cook at an inn and Gendry..." she drifted off in her mind for a bit. "He stayed with the Brotherhood. I couldn't, it was dangerous there, too easy to be found. So I left."

"And where did you go?" Jon was very interested but also disappointed that he never knew any of this.

"I went to Braavos. I trained with Jaqen H'ghar. I learned of the God."

"What God?"

"The only God. The many-faced God of Death."

Jon looked down, scared, almost. "Why Braavos?"

"Its called the free city, you know that," she said as she sat beside him. "I couldn't be free in Westeros, but I could be anyone in Essos, with the help of the God. In Essos, I wasn't a bastard."

"You aren't a bastard here, either," Jon said.

"Yes, you're right. I am truly not a bastard. But no one will ever see me as queen." She lowered her head.

"They will," he said.

Arya was confused. "But Danaerys..."

"Is not the rightful heir to the Iron Throne. You are."

Arya remembered how Danaerys made Gendry a Lord. "And Gendry? He is legally the son of the King now. What about him?"

"All I know is you." He touched her hand. "I know who you are."

Supper was anxious. Some thought the queen was mad, and some thought she would make them lords. Tonight, everyone greeted her when she walked by.

Music was playing and people were laughing. Gendry's seat was higher tonight. He was no longer a bastard. Arya still hadn't spoken to him about it, what could she possibly say?

Everyone ate cheerfully, well, almost everyone. Arya and Jon were silent the whole night. They listened and observed the people in the room, thinking, or dreaming, maybe. Why hasn't she looked at me? Gendry thought, looking at Arya. She always looks at me when I walk in. Arya just looked down. She looked sad. He wanted to ask what was wrong, but he couldn't go to her, he was a high lord now, and she was just a bastard to most.

Gendry went silent too. He heard a chair being pushed back and turned his head. Jon Stark was standing.

He sighed and closed his hands in fists. "Arya Snow is not my sister," was the first thing he said. "Nor is she a bastard." He turned to Danaerys as the room held its breath.

Arya looked at him like she was telling him to sit down, which he should.

"Arya Snow is no snow at all. She's a Targaryen," Jon said and Arya's face turned white as snow, she seemed though she might faint. Everyone's eyes were on her. "Her father is Raegar Targaryen. And her mother is Lyanna Stark." People began to shout and gasp all around. "She is the rightful heir to the Iron Throne!" He called out. Danaerys was red, almost purple when he said this. She looked like she was going to start steaming from the ears.

When people looked at Arya, they didn't see a Queen, they saw a girl who liked to dress like a boy and play with swords. She wasn't even a lady.