A/N - This is an imagine based off of the lyrics to 'Man in the Mirror' by Michael Jackson. It kind of suggests a future romantic relationship between reader and Gendry but not really because realism. I hope you all enjoy it.
"Father, could I ask something of you?" You sat yourself gingerly in the seat across from your father causing him to glance up from the paper on his desk to give you a small smile.
"What is it?" he asked, letting his eyes drop back to the letter in his hand.
"See, the other afternoon, when we were coming back from the sept, I saw something that I wanted to ask you about-" your words cut off when he raised his hand to silence you.
"Hurry it up; you're babbling."
"Sorry Father," you started, taking a deep breath. "I was wondering whether I could help in one of the shelters in Flea Bottom." Your father tensed in his seat, his eyes stopping their journey across the page. "I thought that if I were to take a guard with me it wouldn't be a problem," you continued, only to pause when he put the paper on his desk and sat back slightly.
"No," he uttered, raising his hand to silence you again when you attempted to argue. "It would not look good for you to be seen skulking off to Flee Bottom alone, I can't allow it."
"I wouldn't be alone." You let out a deep sigh when he shook his head again, reaching for the paper from his desk. "I can't sit up here eating at lavish feasts whilst people are starving in our own city. There are children dying."
"No daughter of the King can go into Flea Bottom without becoming a target; you can't go."
"If we refuse to help them who else will bother?" you bit at him through your gritted teeth, staring into his eyes when he finally lifted them to look at you again.
"It's not your job to feed these people," he started and you scoffed at his words.
"No, it's yours. Your duty as the King is to protect your people, that includes those starving whilst we gorge ourselves each evening." Your Father's face had shifted to a deep red now, and his gaze seemed unwavering as you locked eyes with him once more. "I want to help them, whether that's with your permission or not. I can't keep pretending that I don't see it."
"You will take your uncle with you, he will be your guard and you will only stay for as long as he deems it safe for you to."
There was a bright smile on your face as you gave him a short nod and made your way out of his study. Once you were out of his sight you did a small celebratory dance, jumping on the spot and punching the air, before continuing to skip down the halls towards your own chambers.
*Time Skip*
"I don't have time to take you into Flea bottom, I have other duties, Y/N," your uncle Jaime sighed, giving you a small frown as your eyebrows knitted together.
"But Father promised me that I could go as long as you were with me," you uttered.
"He's not given me that order; I can't take you outside of the Red Keep without your father asking it of me."
"Fine," you huffed, turning on your heel and stalking away from him down the hallway. If you had to make your own way out of the Red Keep you would do so.
You dashed into your chambers, grabbing a scarf and tying it over your head to shelter yourself from the gaze of the public and pulled a shall around your shoulders. There was no way you would make it out of the Red Keep and into Flea Bottom without a disguise. You rounded the corner and hurried through the gates, keeping your head staring down at the floor as you easily slipped by the guards, your grip tightening around the scarf in your hand. Without them seeing your face you could have been any high born lady or handmaiden going for a walk, and it wasn't their responsibility to stop random women from journeying outside of the walls.
It didn't take you long to find yourself in the poorer areas of King's Landing, pausing at a small bakery to buy some food to take to one of the shelters. You paused as you were leaving, turning back to the woman who had served you, with a smile. "Where is the nearest shelter for the homeless?" you asked her, watching as she tilted her head slightly, taking in your appearance. "I wish to donate my time and some food," you added and she let out a deep sigh.
"I wouldn't if I were you; they'll eat you alive," she grunted out as she came past the counter and ushered you out the door. "It's a few streets that way," she told you, gesturing in a general direction. "You won't be able to miss the smell."
"Thank you," you quickly muttered to her, a wide smile plastered to your face as you hurried away in the direction she had pointed you in. The roads grew more cramped as you continued on your journey, holding the basket of goods closer to you as you watched the people around you glaring in your direction.
A man stepped in your path, his toothy grin causing your own to drop from your face, replaced by a small frown. "What does a pretty thing like you want being down in a place like this?" he asked you, taking a step closer a peering at the food in your hands. "It can't be your usual shopping spot, I'd recognise you," he added, reaching for the basket in your hand and causing you to take a quick step out of his reach.
"This is for the shelter," you uttered, your voice shaking slightly as you lowered your gaze, hoping he hadn't seen past your disguise. It would not end well for you if he knew who you were, not many people in the poorer parts of town liked your family.
"Well, I'm sure they wouldn't miss a small bite," he answered you, his grin growing as he took another step towards you and grabbed your arm, reaching his filth covered hand into the basket and pulling out a full loaf of bread.
"Please, I promised them a certain amount," you lied, trying to pull your arm out of his grip and only hesitating when another man came up behind the first, grabbing the bread from his hand and placing it back in the basket.
"Leave the poor girl alone, can't you see she's terrified already?" he muttered to the first man who chuckled his agreement. "Come on, I'll take you back up to the Red Keep," he told you, giving you a kind smile as you frowned and shook your head at him.
"I need to go to the shelter, I'm not returning home until I've visited them," you muttered softly. "would you perhaps take me there instead, Ser?"
"I'm no Ser," he started, face scrunched up as he considered your request. "My name's Gendry Waters," he told you as he began walking away, leaving you standing still in the middle of the small street. "Come on, keep up," he called back to you, pausing for just a moment for you to catch up with him before continuing towards his destination.
*Time Skip*
You didn't stay long at the shelter. If Gendry had found you out so easily others were bound to. Instead, Gendry walked you back up towards the Red Keep, losing track of time as you finally reached the gates. "Thank you for this. My father would kill me if he knew I went all that way on my own."
"It was an honour to meet you, Princess," he told you, stopping just short of the gates and giving you a smile. "But this is where we part ways."
"Goodbye, Gendry." You paused after you had passed through the gates, turning to watch your new friend disappear into the crowd. You were sad in the knowledge that you would not get to meet him again, certain that your father would already know of your travelling without an escort and you would be banned from ever leaving your chambers again. But your heart had grown as you saw the smiles on the faces of those you were feeding, and it grew even more so as you watched Gendry laughing with the few children that stayed in the shelter. It had truly filled you with joy to help those that the crown had been neglecting for so long but it hurt to know that it was unlikely you would ever be granted that joy again.
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