All around the cave candles lit up the white limestone walls, creating flickering shadows. On the furthest wall, a pattern of roots reached down like arms trying to embrace the people gathered. Among the roots hints of ancient carvings could be found. Faces, people, animals, the depictions of a civilization that used to be. The trickling of water could be heard as the rain from the day before made its way down the cave walls.
This was where Lord Gendry Baratheon stood awaiting his bride.
This was it. No hesitation, no fear, no turning back. This was his wedding. This was their wedding. This was where forever began.
As the cave was so small only a few select witnesses were present. Lord Penrose had been selected to officiate the wedding as he was familiar with the customs of the old gods. Usually, this was done by the groom's father, but this groom had no father or other male relatives alive. Devan, Marya, Brynda, and the younger Seaworth boys were also present. The newlyweds would be presented to the rest of the invited guests at the feast afterward.
"Are you nervous?" Devan asked as he walked up next to Gendry.
Gendry shook his head.
"Well, your hands are shaking," Devan said.
Gendry looked down and realized that his friend was right.
"I'm not nervous," he said. "I'm excited... and scared perhaps. Scared I won't be enough. That I will let her down."
Devan put his hand on Gendry's shoulder.
"You're enough, Gendry," he said. "You know you are. And that's why she came to you. Just enjoy this, it's your wedding."
Gendry nodded and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He looked down at his hands again, they had stopped shaking.
When he looked up she stood there in the entrance of the cave. His bride, Lady Meera Reed. Escorted by Ser Balon Swann.
Meera smiled at Gendry and all his fears disappeared. Instead, a rush of happiness flowed through his entire body and everything started to tingle. She was there, and she was all he ever wanted.
His bride looked like the beautiful lands where she came from. She looked like hanging moss, lush cypress trees, and water lilies. Her dress was in white lace, her cloak was deep green and in her curly hair were purple and pink flowers.
The dress cascaded around her as she walked towards her groom, falling like a waterfall all the way down to the cave floor. The wide bell sleeves fluttered in the slight breeze streaming through the cave.
He couldn't stop looking at her. She was so indescribably beautiful, and she was his.
Ser Swann led Meera up to where Gendry was standing, by the wall of the cave with the roots and carvings. But they stopped a little bit ahead so that ser Swann could present the bride. This was usually done by the bride's father, but since Howland Reed was currently defending his home Ser Swann had volunteered to do it in his stead.
"Who comes before the Old Gods this night?" Lord Penrose asked.
"Meera, of House Reed, comes here to be wed. A trueborn and noble woman. She comes to beg the blessing of the Gods. Who comes to claim her?" Ser Swann replied, according to the customs.
Gendry stepped forward so he stood opposite Meera.
"Gendry, of House Baratheon, son of Robert Baratheon," he said. "Holder of Storm's End and Lord Paramount of the Stormlands. Who gives her?"
"Ser Balon Swann, who fought against her father but will now fight beside him to bring back his lands."
Ser Swann stepped aside and Meera took a few steps forward so she was standing right in front of Gendry.
"You look beautiful," he leaned in and whispered to her.
"I thought you said I didn't need a dress," she replied and smiled.
"Well, you would have been beautiful regardless. But I like it."
Ser Penrose looked sternly at them, they weren't supposed to talk yet.
For a moment the whole cave was quiet, the only sound that could be heard was the water streaming down the walls and the slight breeze flowing through the cave.
He looked at her and she looked at him. His eyes that were the color of the stormy ocean beneath them met her eyes that were the color of the murky waters of the swamplands she came from.
It was time. Time for the vows. Time to promise each other forever.
"Lady Meera Reed, do you take this man to be your husband?" Ser Penrose asked.
"I, Lady Meera Reed, take this man as my husband," she said.
"Lord Gendry Baratheon, do you take this woman to be your wife?" Ser Penrose continued.
"I, Lord Gendry Baratheon, take this woman as my wife," he said.
He reached out his hand towards her. They joined hands. Her hand was so warm in his. Just like that first time on the dock.
It was them now. Forever.
Gendry could feel Meera's warmth, presence, and love as he held her hand. His hand was no longer shaking because it was joined with hers.
Together they turned around and faced the wall with the roots and carvings. The wall that represented the old gods. They both got down on their knees in front of it and bowed their heads for a moment of silence.
Meera started recanting a prayer of the old gods. Gendry didn't know the words but he repeated after her. It was a promise of love and allegiance, forever.
Until the oceans run dry
Until the forests wilt to desert
Until the mountains turn to dust
Until the sky falls down
Until then and beyond
Until forever
I will be yours and you will be mine
Then they rose together. But before turning around Meera went up to the wall and put her hand on it.
"I know you're watching, Jojen," she said. "I did what you said. Tell father to hold on, I'm coming."
Gendry squeezed her hand. He didn't believe in these gods but he believed in his wife. If she thought her brother could hear her he believed that too.
"We're coming," he said and put his hand on the wall as well.
Then they turned around together to face the gathered witnesses.
There was one more thing remaining until their union was completed.
Gendry turned to face Meera. He put his hands up towards her neck to untie the ties on the cloak that she was wearing. After he had untied it he handed it to Devan who stood behind him. And Devan instead handed Gendry a yellow cloak he had been holding.
"You are now my wife, Lady Meera Baratheon," he said as he put the new cloak on her and tied it.
"And you are now my husband, Lord Gendry Baratheon," she replied.
A tear fell on her cheek. A tear for the last name she never thought she would leave behind. She had never thought she would be anyone else than Meera Reed.
"I'm sorry," he said. "For what you're giving up."
"Don't be," she replied. "This is my choice. I chose to be your wife."
He put his hand on her cheek to wipe away the tear and let his hand stay there. Then he leaned in to kiss her. To kiss his wife.
It didn't feel any different to kiss as husband and wife. It didn't feel any different but yet everything was different.
Gendry put his lips against his Meera's and nothing else in the world mattered.
The war they were about to fight didn't matter. The threat from the king didn't matter. The kingdom shattering around them didn't matter.
Because no matter what happened, they would be together, they would fight together and they would love together.
He was her husband and she was his wife, and it was all that mattered.
They were Lord and Lady Baratheon now.
***
On their way up from the caves they walked through the Baratheon crypts. Passing by the ghosts of his family. The ghosts that he never knew. The ghosts that couldn't witness his wedding.
"Hold on," Gendry said to his wife as they passed his father's grave. "I want to... tell him we're here."
He could read the name engraved on the stone now. The name of his father. Robert Baratheon.
Gendry kneeled by the grave and his wife kneeled next to him. He put his hand on the cold stone, and she did the same.
"Father," he said. "I know now that you tried, you tried to protect me. You weren't there for me, but you tried. You weren't perfect, but you were my father. You were enough. And so am I. Because of you, I'm here. I'm a lord with my own castle and army. I'm married to a woman I love with all my heart. Her father fought next to you and now I will fight for him. I hope that would have made you proud. So thank you father, for what you gave me."
"Thank you," Meera said too. "For giving me your son. I will take care of him. I will love him. For the rest of my life."
They met in another kiss as they kneeled by his father's grave.
Their fathers weren't there, but they knew that they approved of their marriage. Both his father, that he had never met, and her father, the only one of their parents who still lived. Two men who had once fought side by side to take down a tyrant king. And their children would one day do the same.
Then they rose, left the ghosts behind, and walked towards their future together.
***
They entered the Great Hall hand in hand. The hall was full of people. People cheering for them. People looking at them.
Meera felt awkward about all the attention. She wasn't used to be being the center of attention like this. Gendry squeezed her hand and they walked through the crowd together. He didn't look too comfortable with either. But as long as they held hands everything would be alright.
She tried to hold the dress up as she walked, afraid to step on the hem of it. She wasn't used to walking in dresses. The lace felt weirdly light against her skin, and she had to look down at times to assure that she was actually dressed.
But Meera was happy she was wearing the dress. She was thankful Marya had made it for her and insisted she wore it. Because it made her feel like a real bride. It made it easier to take in that all of this was real. That she was actually married to the man holding her hand. He who she was so in love with. She was Gendry Baratheon's wife. And she liked the way her husband looked at her in the dress like she was the most beautiful creature who had ever existed. Although Gendry always looked at her like that, no matter what she wore.
The Great Hall was filled with flickering candelabras, lighting up the whole room. In the aisles barrels were placed with water lilies floating in them, symbolizing the homelands of the bride. Where Marya had found water lilies so quickly no one knew, but Meera was happy she had. It made it feel at least a little bit like home. The rest of the room sparkled in Baratheon yellow on curtains, table cloths, and carpet. On the tables were vases with wildflowers from the green hills of the Stormlands.
When they came to the end of the aisle they had to let go of each other's hands to walk around the main table on different sides. Meera walked quickly, eager to get back to Gendry.
"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss" the crowd was chanting.
When they united again at the other side of the table he pulled her in close to him.
"Can I?" he asked.
"I'm your wife," she replied. "You can kiss me whenever you want."
And he did. He kissed her to the cheers of the crowd.
It felt weird to be able to kiss so publicly, to do it in front of a crowd. But it wasn't uncomfortable. She could never be uncomfortable kissing him.
They sat down together at the table. He helped her gather the skirts of her dress so she wouldn't get it trapped under a chair. She was not used to the hassle of a dress.
The rest of the night passed in a blur. In a feverish high of love. In a bubble where it was only them.
The room was full of people, noise, movements, and smells. But none of it registered to her.
Many dishes of food passed by. Wine was served. Meera didn't remember if she ate or drank any of it.
All she knew and cared about was that he was there. Next to her. Her husband. And she kept touching him, and he kept touching her. Holding hands under the table, stroking each other legs, stealing a kiss when they thought no one was watching.
At the end of the night, Gendry stood up and held a speech, after being urged to do so by the crowd. She looked at him feeling overwhelmed and proud that he was her husband.
He looked so handsome, so radiant, so happy.
"Meera, my wife," he said. "You know where I come from, who I used to be. I was just a bastard blacksmith. I was no one. Then I became a lord. But I never got to chose who I was. Until now. When I choose to be your husband. And it's all I ever want to be. I promise you I will always fight for you, I will always believe you, and I will always choose you. Forever."
"To my wife," he continued and raised his glass. The crowd did the same.
He reached out his hand towards her. And once again he pulled her close and kissed her as the guests cheered.
Everything was perfect that night. The ceremony. The feast. Her husband.
There was only one thing she was missing. Her father. She wished he could have been there. She wished he could have given her away. She wished she knew if he was even still alive.
As they sat down Marya came up to them.
"Lord and Lady Baratheon," she said. "It's time for you two to walk away to your wedding night."
This was what they had waited for. It would finally be just them, with no one disturbing or interrupting them.
So they stood up. Shared another quick kiss. And then walked around the table on opposite sides again before finally uniting at the other side. They took each other's hands again. The crowd cheered as they were leaving.
When they exited the hall Marya stood there.
"Lady Baratheon, I'll take you to the bedroom," Marya said. "I need to prepare you before your husband can come in."
It didn't really register with Meera at first that Marya was talking to her. Lady Baratheon. That was her name now. That had not been her name that morning. And she had not had a husband that morning.
"Sit down here, Lord Baratheon," Marya continued. "And I will come to get you in a few moments."
Meera didn't want to leave Gendry. She never wanted to leave him. But she would have to for a few more moments.
So she reluctantly let go of his hand and let Marya lead her away to the lord's bedroom. The next time she saw him they would finally be alone.
***
Gendry sat down on the bench outside the Great Hall, waiting for Marya to come to get him.
He felt lonely. He had only been married for a few hours but he already missed his wife when she wasn't with him. She was already a part of him.
All he wanted was to be alone with her. He just wanted to be with her. He didn't need to lay with her, although of course, he wanted to, he just wanted to be close to her. Forever.
As he sat there Devan and Brynda exited the hall. Entangled in each other. Kissing like there was no tomorrow.
"Dev," Gendry said. "I hope you are not thinking of going to my room... this is my wedding night and you are not interrupting it."
Devan turned around, it seemed like he hadn't noticed Gendry sitting there. He seemed slightly intoxicated. Gendry had never seen Devan drink wine before so it probably didn't take much.
"We're not going to your room," he said. "I bribed my brother, we're switching rooms. My mother would never look for a girl in Stannis' room."
"I don't care what you do, Dev," Gendry replied. "But you know you shouldn't... You promised your mother."
"That's easy for you to say, Gendry, "Devan said. "You're married now."
Devan disappeared down the hallway, pulled away by Brynda. It didn't seem like they were convinced they shouldn't.
The last words Devan had said echoed in Gendry's head. He was married now. He was someone's husband. He couldn't quite believe it himself. He was married to a woman he was so darn in love with.
All the paths he had walked and all the paths he could had walked. All the pain. All the suffering. All the heartache. This was where he ended up. And he didn't regret any of it. Because it led him here. It led him to her.
He looked down on his hands, still the hands of a blacksmith. He was still that same bastard boy from Fleabottom. But Meera still wanted him. He was enough.
His hands were shaking again. He was nervous for was about to come. Nervous and excited. He couldn't wait. He couldn't wait for the wedding night. He couldn't wait for their life together. He couldn't wait for forever to start.
And he wouldn't have to.
"Lord Baratheon," Marya said, suddenly standing in front of him. "I'll take you to your wife now."
Gendry bounced off the bench he was sitting on.
And he walked towards Meera. He walked towards their wedding night. He walked towards their life together. He walked towards forever.
Author's Note: They're forking married!!!!!!!!!!!! (yep here I go fangirling about my own story again...)