It was time to say goodbye. For friends. For enemies. For siblings. For fathers and sons. And for two hearts who had just come together...
But they couldn't stay and they couldn't go the same way. Not yet. Gendry Baratheon and Meera Reed would have to wait a little bit longer for their time to come.
Meera and Howland were about to return home to the Neck. They had packed up all their stuff and loaded it on their horses. Howland had even managed to find a basket to fit the cat they had found in and attached it on his horse. The cat did not look or sound happy about the arrangement but apparently, it was going with them. Meera wasn't really sure what her father's plan for it was since she didn't think the cat would get along with the crocodiles back home, but she trusted that he knew what he was doing. Howland usually did.
They went around to all the other lords and ladies to say goodbye before they left. And Meera was noticing that her father left Lord Baratheon's tent for last.
Of course, Meera wanted to see Gendry before she left, but she felt a bit awkward about seeing him with her father around. Especially since her father kept giving her hints that he knew what was going on between them. Which was honestly more than she knew herself. All she knew was that as soon as she saw Gendry her whole body started tingling and all she wanted to do was to be close to him. Maybe she was coming down with some kind of illness, or maybe she was in love.
Meera had never considered love to be something that was for her. It was something that happened to other girls, girls who were preoccupied with dresses, dancing, and embroidering. Meera wasn't that kind of girl and she had thought love to be something those girls made up to have something to talk about. But yet here she was, having her whole world spin every time she looked into his blue eyes and unable to stop thinking of his lips against hers. It was weird, it was amazing, and it was terrifying.
When they finally got to the Baratheon tent her father suddenly seemed to push her in front of him, to let her enter first. One of the guards outside the tent announced their presence and they walked in.
The tent looked just like last time, although brighter than when she had left in a hurry that morning. Both Gendry and Devan were there and they both stood up as the Reeds walked in. Gendry looked like he was upset about something. Perhaps he had been crying even. She wanted to ask him, she wanted to hold him, she wanted to kiss him. But of course, she couldn't.
His eyes met hers and her whole world started spinning. As always. She smiled at him and he smiled back. She was happy to see him smile as he had looked so sad when she walked in.
"Lord Baratheon," Howland said. "I just wanted to say goodbye before we leave. And also assure you that I support your views regarding feeding the people. They should listen to you, as you know better than any of them what it's like. But they don't."
"Thank you, Lord Reed," Gendry replied. "Your support is appreciated."
Howland shook Gendry's hand to say goodbye and then walked quickly towards the exit, leaving Meera in the tent. Devan somehow also managed to slink out the door.
"I will give you two a moment," Howland said as he was leaving.
"Does your father know about..." Gendry asked Meera as they suddenly stood there alone.
He looked surprised, and a bit concerned.
"I think he does... but he won't outright say so," she replied and walked up closer to him.
"And he doesn't want to kill me?"
He looked so anxious she couldn't help herself, she had to hold him. So she walked up the last step to him and put her arms around him. And everything seemed to be alright in the world again. Their hearts beat to the same rhythm, the bodies fit together and their minds became clear.
"My father isn't like that," she said. "He knows you're an honorable man."
She put her forehead against his and they lingered there for a second. Her lips so close to his.
Then they couldn't hold back any longer and united in a kiss. It didn't matter that her father was right outside, it didn't matter than one of the guards could walk in any second, it didn't matter that Devan was probably listening in on them. Only they mattered.
"You know I would ask him... if..." he said as the kiss ended.
"I know, and you know I would tell him to accept... but..." she said.
They didn't need to say more. They both knew he couldn't ask her father for her hand in marriage, and she couldn't tell her father to accept. They could only stand there embracing each other and wishing they didn't have to let go.
Because they were both the heirs of their houses and one of them would have to forfeit their title and name if they did. And that was the only thing neither of them could give up. And neither of them could ask that of the other one. She needed to marry a man who would agree to take her name and rule her lands with her. And he needed to marry a woman who could be the lady of his castle.
"Are you alright?" she asked, "You looked upset when we walked in."
"I'm fine, just a bit... overwhelmed I guess," he replied. "I just found out that apparently, my father did know about me. And he did see me once. It doesn't change anything but at least I know. "
"I'm glad you do. He did see you, and he would have been proud of you. Now you know."
It made her really happy to see how much this meant to him. He looked so vulnerable that she just had to kiss him again. So she did. He seemed to need it, and honestly, she did too.
"Will I ever see you again, Meera?" he asked afterward.
"You will. I promise, Gendry," she answered. "I don't know when or how. But I promise you will."
She would keep her promise. They would see each other again.
And the next time they did Gendry would ask Meera to be his wife. Despite everything. And Meera would say yes. Despite everything.
He put his hands around her face and they looked into each other's eyes briefly. Then they kissed one last time. One last moment of tingling and vibration. One last moment where the world around them didn't matter.
They thought they would never kiss again. So they made sure that the last kiss lasted them forever. But even forever wasn't long enough.
He took her hand as the kiss ended.
"Let me follow you out," he said. "We can't let your father wait much longer. I will let go as soon as we get out there."
She nodded and stroked his hand lightly.
So they walked out the door together. And he reluctantly let go of her hand as they exited the tent. Even though he didn't want to. He never wanted to let go.
***
But maybe Gendry had held on to Meera's hand for just a moment too long.
Because someone had seen them. Someone had been watching them. Someone who ruled the whole kingdom now.
The king had seen Meera hold Gendry's hand. And it enraged him.
But it also clued him in on what had happened to Lord Baratheon. Why he was still there. Why his faith was now unknown. Why he was free. It was because of Meera. It was because he was now connected to her.
She who was free. She who mattered more than anyone. She who he still loved.
The king tried to deny it, tried to hide it, tried to destroy it. But he couldn't, he couldn't fully erase the love Bran had once felt for Meera. The love that made her protected from his powers. Instead, the love seemed to grow. The pure love that an innocent boy had felt was instead turning into an obsession for the all-knowing being who was now possessing his body. And seeing Lord Baratheon holding her hand fueled that obsession.
The king needed to love her, or he needed to destroy her. Before she destroyed him.
And he needed to destroy Lord Baratheon. Because no one else should get to love her. And Lord Baratheon certainly didn't deserve her. He was just a blacksmith, a commoner, a bastard. He wasn't important.
***
One last goodbye remained. Between a father and son who had just reunited again.
Davos Seaworth stood by the entrance to the Dragon Pit as Gendry and Devan were leaving. Devan didn't even get off his horse when he saw his father standing there.
"So you're not coming with us, father?" he asked.
"I'm sorry, Devan. I can't. I need to stay here. The king made me Master of Ships and I need to tend to those duties."
"You got duties towards your family too, father. Even though you seem to forget that. We won't always welcome you back."
With that Devan left. Without even looking back he put his horse into a gallop and joined the rest of the armies who were waiting.
Gendry had got off his horse and went up to Davos to give him a proper goodbye.
"He'll get over it," he said to Davos. "He's just being... Devan I guess. But he's a good friend, you raised him well."
"I didn't raise him," Davos replied. "His mother did."
"You're welcome to Storm's End any time, my friend. Your family will be there. I would say I will watch over them, but truth is that I think they'll watch over me rather. It's nice though. I've never had a family, so I'm happy to borrow yours instead."
"I will come there, as soon as I can. And you know I do consider you family, son. But I need to be here to keep an eye on things."
Gendry understood what Davos meant. They both shared the same concerns about the decisions the new king had made the other day. And Gendry was glad that Davos would be there to oversee what would happen next. Even though Gendry couldn't tell Davos what he knew about the new king, having Davos there made him worry a bit less at least.
"Until next time then," Gendry said and reach out to embrace Davos.
"Until next time, son," Davos replied and joined him in the embrace.
Devan suddenly came galloping back, stopped right by them, and got off his horse.
"Lord Baratheon, we need to leave," he said.
"I'm ready," Gendry replied and started walking towards his horse.
"Bye father," Devan said and hesitantly reached towards his father for a hug. It seemed like this was the real reason he had come back.
Davos caught him and pulled him in for an embrace, whether his son wanted to or not.
"Bye my son," he said. "I will come to see you, Stannis, Steffon, and Marya soon. I promise."
"I hope you keep that promise," Devan said before he freed himself from his father's embrace and ran back towards his horse. The last Davos saw of him was his unruly hair flapping in the wind when he galloped away to catch up with Gendry.
Davos would keep his promise. He would come to Storm's End and see Stannis, Steffon, and Marya. But Devan wouldn't be there then.
There were many goodbyes made that day. Some just for a little while. Some for much longer. And some would be forever.