Apr 22, 2011.
A/N: Not sure what universe we're in here, but let's assume Robert lived and him and Ned took out the Lannister's together. Arya had her same adventure North with Yoren and the other Night's Watch recruits, including Gendry. Let's say the Brotherhood delivered them back together to King's Landing and their fathers, where Robert more than happily legitimized his trueborn son. Now they're all on their way to Winterfell so Ned, Sansa and Arya can reunite with the rest of the Starks. Arya and Gendry are only a couple of years apart, maybe 17 and 15 or so.
King Robert Baratheon and Lord Eddard Stark watched as their daughter and son, respectively, walked side by side near the river. As usual, the latter was mostly quiet and laughing at something the former, her usually loud self, had just said. Nearby prowled the familiar gray and white direwolf.
Robert's eyes glistened with tears. 'Oh, my friend,' he sighed wistfully. 'But this is how it was meant to be.'
As he watched the two, Ned's eyes looked haunted, as if he'd seen a ghost. And there was more than a hint of sadness in them as well. 'They look the very sight of you and-.' His voice broke then, and he had to look away from the sight of the two of them.
Robert agreed with a silent, weepy nod. 'Finally,' he choked softly on his words. 'Our houses are truly to be joined.'
Ned glanced sharply at his friend and king. 'Patience, old friend. That will be up to the two of them.'
Robert scoffed and took ahold of his friend's elbow so he was faced once again in the young couple's direction. Ned's daughter had just pushed Robert's son into the stream and run away so the ex-apprentice smith had no choice but to run after her. 'But they're so clearly in love.'
Ned wasn't sure he could deny the truth of the king's words. 'They may grow out of it yet.' He was only being stubborn because he had always thought, out of all his children, he would have the hardest time marrying Arya to someone. Not because no one would want her; she was beautiful like her aunt and just as willful. What man could not love her? Yet, he'd always been so certain Arya would refuse even the prospect of being with someone.
Yet, here she was. Clearly smitten. True, she was as of yet young and may not yet understand her affections. But they were there all the same. She'd struggled for two years in the war-stricken lands of Westeros side-by-side the smith-turned-prince. No available windows on mac. Now, Gendry was the first person she sought in the mornings at the Red Keep and on their journey North. And Gendry was always the last person she saw before turning up out of nowhere to sleep.
Ned didn't begrudge her the pairing. The truth was the boy was, despite his humble beginnings, more lordly or princely than any of the princes Ned had known since Rhaegar. Gendry was a fast learner who could now read, write, and recite the history of the Seven Kingdoms, among other talents he'd picked up in the time since Robert had legitimized him. The boy was brave and strong as well and had, if the stories could be believed, saved Arya's life countless times during the years she'd been missing. Though she'd save Gendry's life plenty too, Gendry never failed to reminded them.
'If ever there were two more plainly made for each other than these two,' Robert was sighing longingly again. 'It was your sister and me.'
Ned disagreed but silently to the latter statement. Outwardly, he only nodded an acknowledgement to his friend. 'They're best friends and one's just as stubborn as the other,' Ned allowed.
In truth, Robert and Lyanna had been nothing alike. In truth, Robert had never truly known Lyanna, could not ever have understood her. Ned watched as his youngest daughter and the new prince now crossed 'swords' (Arya had challenged Gendry to a duel with large sticks from the forest) across the way. This boy, this Gendry, by contrast, seemed to know exactly who Arya was. A wolf. A warrior. A lady only by birth. And still he loved her just the same.
Ned recalled a conversation he'd had with the lad, shortly after his legitimization.
'I won't make you marry my daughter,' Ned had told the red-faced boy gruffly. 'Though it's what your father desires.'
Gendry had stared at him in surprise then. 'Make me?' He repeated the words as a question.
'Now that you're a prince, boy.' Ned clarified. 'Might be you'll want to find a woman more suited to the title of princess.'
The truth was Ned just wanted to gauge both Gendry's intentions and thoughts on Arya's noble status in contrast to her behavior.
The boy grew redder in the face, though this time from anger, it seemed. 'No.' He muttered stubbornly. Led player 6.0 for mac. 'There's no one more-.' He seemed to catch himself, remembering he was talking both to Arya's father and a lord. A lifetime of submission to lords had followed him into the Red Keep. 'What I mean, m'lord, is, for me, there could be no better match. But only if she'll have me. In truth, no one could deserve your daughter, but-.' He seemed unsure.
Ned wasn't sure he'd ever heard the boy talk so much at one time or, indeed, so passionately. 'Go on, lad.' He encouraged him softly.
'I'm willin' to spend the rest of my life tryin' to be worthy enough.' Fun software for windows 7.
Ned's throat had gone as dry as a bone then. There would be no refusal on this end of the match. Ned had hoped he could depend on his fiery and fierce daughter to do so, but.
Ned thought then to the conversation with his daughter during which he'd broached the topic. Macbook pro high sierra to catalina.
Earlier that day, Ned had noticed a chaste but intense hug pass between Arya and Gendry. Despite knowing what they'd gone through, it had never crossed Ned's mind that his little wolf would have ever seen a boy that way. Sansa had always been the one singing the songs.
At supper that night, Ned had been explaining to both his daughters that, following the catastrophes that had befallen them so far, they didn't have to marry anyone they didn't wish to. Sansa had gazed at him gratefully. Her ordeals with the Lannisters had hardened her wishes to ever get married.
Arya, however, had looked curiously up at him. 'If you were going to make us get married, who would I have to marry?' She asked in a voice of pure innocence.
Ned blinked in surprise at her. 'I wouldn't, sweet one.' He thought back to the hug from earlier in the day now. 'Is there someone you had in mind?' He wondered out loud.
And for the first time in her life in Ned's presence, Arya actually blushed. 'No,' she murmured in the voice she used when she was lying. 'I was just wondering.'
Then she blurted, 'Is Sansa still to marry the prince, even though it's a different one?' Her face was still red, but was it in anger now?
Sansa nearly choked on the honey cakes she was nibbling on then. They both looked at her father.
Ned was watching his younger one carefully. 'Of course not, little one. Not if she doesn't want to.'
Arya nearly glared at Sansa then. Sansa blinked in surprise at Arya, but a knowing smile grew on her face. 'I just want to go home.' She murmured.
Arya actually looked relieved then.
As the king and his Hand gazed across the fields towards their children, both now laying on the ground next to each other and laughing, Ned realized he'd lost a battle he never thought he'd have to fight. Still, he surmised, as he watched the way Gendry gazed at Arya, as if never had there existed a more perfect person, he could have lost to someone much less worthy.
Note: So I'm completely obsessed with what Ned's POV would have been toward gendrya. And would have loved to have seen Robert's reaction as well. My sister recommended I write in this same AU from the perspective of others (i.e. Sansa's, Catelyn's, Arya's, Gendry's, etc.) so wondering if anyone else might be interested in that. I just needed a Ned/Robert reaction to this inevitable ship, aka. Ned and Robert ship their kids so hard. Gah!
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