''Ser Hugh? Ser Hugh!'' Jory declared
''As you can see, I'm busy.'' Hugh grumbled
''I'm here on behalf of Lord Eddard Stark, the Hand of the king. I'm the captain of his guard." Jory informed him
''I'm sorry. I didn't catch your name, Ser...'' Hugh finally turned to look at Jory
''No "ser." I'm not a knight.'' Jory corrected
''I see. Well, it just so happens that I am.''
''He said he'd be glad to talk to the Hand himself. He's a knight, you see." Jory informed Ned.
''A knight. They strut around like roosters down here. Even the ones who've never seen an arrow coming their way.'' Ned declared.
+
"Hey Gendry," Hayley remarked as Bran and Rickon came into the tent.
"My lady, my lords." Gendry answered.
"This is Bran and Rickon, Bran is going to be a knight one day, what a bore." Hayley mused when Bran gawked back at her. "But I was telling them about your really bad ass helmet."
"Can we see it?" Rickon questioned as he jumped from Hayley's back. Gendry got it for them.
"Cool." The boys echoed touching the metal. It made Gendry feel like he was respected and apricated.
''I was thinking for future knights and guard and protecting cute heads like them, can you make a helmet like yours for Bran and Jon and... Does your dad need a helmet?" Bran shrugged. "Lets start with Jon and Bran and maybe a little blade for Rickon?''
"Yes!" Rickon agreed.
"Just all the things, and I want you to do them because you are the best." Hayley decided and Gendry blushed. 'money is not an option because I'm the kings mother and I'm sure I can figure it out.' She put down a pouch of coin before him.
"Where did you get that?" Bran questioned.
"Someone that didnt need it anymore." Hayley offered. The men that attacked sansa didnt have much but combined they made up a heafy little pouch, Hayley thought it would come in handy and she knew how much Jon liked the helmet. Hayley wanted to get him something, after all he was her new son.
'this is too much,' Gendry noted picking up the bag. He tried to hand it back to her.
'Nonsense, two helmets and a few swords, thats not enough." Hayley corrected.
"But for you-"
"I'm just a customer, you are never going to make money if you give things away to your friends, come on let me pay you, fair wages and bonus because I like you." Hayley decided.
"Thank you, thank you.' Gendry rasped sticking the coin in his apron.
"you do good work. You are worth every penny.' Hayley assured. 'so a helmet to start?'
'Yes, just like mine?' gendry questioned as she held it in her hands.
'Can you make it a wolf?'' Hayley countered and Rickon howled out.
'These knights stretch around like roosters out here, even those who have never seen battle.' Ned said riding around the town with Jory
'We shouldn't be out here you don't know who has eyes where.' Jory noted nervously, looking around.
'Let them look.' Ned said confidently dismounting from his horse. He heard howls coming from the tent a laugh he knew to be Hayleys
'Lord Stark?' jory questioned. Ned turned away from the women he was sure was Hayley.
'yes he did call on me, my Lord.' The welder told ned.
Why did lord Arryn come to see the boy?' Ned questioned.
'I don't know.' He admitted.
'I would like to see him as well.' Ned informed him.
'As you wish my Lord... Gendry,' he called 'here he is strong for his age and works hard show the hand the helmet you made.' He instructed.
"Excuse me. I will get to work on that helmet," Gendry assured them.
"No rush, but I'm excited to see it." Hayley declared. "Alright climb on best be getting back." Hayley remarked as Rickon jumped on her back, she held to Brans hand. Gendry begrudgingly turned around grabbed his helmet that he had made handing it over to Ned.
'This is fine work.' Ned told him looking it over.
'It is not for sale' Gendry informed him.
'This is the Lord hand if he wants the helmet-'
'I made it for me.' Gendry informed him.
"And no one is going to take it from him." Hayley agreed.
"Thought that was you." Ned remarked a smile curving his face as Rickon waved back at him.
'Forgive me my Lord' the welder said looking over to gendry annoyed.
'There is nothing to forgive.' Ned assured.
"You want a helmet like this too Ned? I'm commissioning Gendry to make a few for Jon and Bran." Hayley remarked.
"Are you?" Ned pondered.
"I am, you see this masterpiece? Gorgeous." Hayley declared. "Best wielder in all the lands." Gendry looked to his feet unable to hide his smile.
"I'm hungry." Bran whispered tugging on Hayley's hand.
"We can find you something yummy on the way back." Hayley agreed. "Boys," Hayley tipped her head to them. Ned held out some coin for Hayley.
"For food." Ned remarked.
"People are just giving me money, this is fun." Hayley decided. "Thanks." Hayley looked to Gendry. "See ya Gendry."
"Goodbye my lady."
'when Lord Arryn came to visit you what did you talk about?' Ned questioned pulling his gaze away from Hayley and his boys.
'He just asked me questions is all my Lord.' Gendry admitted.
'What kind of questions?' Ned pondered
'About my work first... If I was being treated well if I liked it here. Then he started asking about my mother.' Gendry went on.
'Your mother?'
'Who she was what she looked like....'
'What did you tell him?' Ned questioned
'She died when I was little. She had yellow hair. She would sing to me sometimes.' Gendry recalled softly.
'Look at me.' ned requested and Gendry's eyes went up to him. Ned looked his face over taking in the details his eyes his hair. 'Get back to work' he said handing back the helmet to Gendry. Gendry went back to work, as instructed.
'If there's a time with that boy would rather wheel the sword then make a helmet you send him to me.' Ned said walking off.
'you find anything?' Jory asked
'Roberts bastard son.' Hayley's grandson. Ned added quietly. But Hayley heard and her head snapped around. Ned didnt know how she knew such things but she stared back at him. "Just a guess." ned added under his breath and Hayley stared at him a moment longer before Bran pulled her along. She had a grandson that she liked, a rightful heir to the throne that was good and hard working and not Joffrey.
+
"Ah, there she is." Loras remarked. "Now be nice, dont scare her."
"If she gets scared by me then she is not as amazing as you claimed in your letters." Olenna corrected stiffly.
"Grandmother." Loras begged.
"So, you must be the undead or resurrected mother of the king." Olenna declared moving towards Hayley.
"Something like that." Hayley agreed. "I'm Hayley."
"His mother was named-"
"I'm aware." Hayley assured. "I never claimed to be their mother but I love those boys as if I birthed them myself." Hayley declared.
"You are no lady, you dont walk the part. Did they find you in the forest?" Olenna pondered.
"Yes, actually Sandor did find me in the woods." Hayley agreed.
"And she is treated like royalty?" Olenna scoffed. "Honestly, you have these idiots fooled." Hayley smirked taking a step forward.
"Loras, this must be your grandmother, he has told me horrendous things about you I'm afraid and they seem to all be true." Hayley offered and Loras thought this is when I die. "I'm so very glad." That surprised both Olenna and Loras. "I'm so sick of all these pompous people saying all the right things, I'm in desperate need for some blunt honesty." There was a silent moment before a smile curved Olenna's face. She reached out for Hayley linking arms with her.
"You and I will get on just fine my dear." Olenna decided.