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"Your master sold you out" Varys pointed out in a hush so only Gendry could hear him. "Are you truly alright?"
"He was being threatened and would have been killed" Gendry pointed out, "I would have done the same thing. What I am more bothered by is seeing all the children being killed. Because they were the King's bastards.
"They stood in competition to Joffrey's rule."
"And does that give him the right to kill innocents?" Gendry snapped, tone louder than Varys'. It drew the attention of people to them.
"I never said it was the right thing" Varys pointed out.
"You never said it wasn't the right thing" Mya countered.
Varys blinked slowly.
"I suppose I did not."
Over on the other end, Robert watched his bastards closely. They were the only children of his to have survived Joffery's purge. Well, the rest were alive still and some were yet to be born. He'd think of a way to protect them, the children that were his.
[Water can be heard trickling down. Arya is sitting by a pool of water in the woods. She turns her head to the left. Then some leaves rustle, and she turns to the right. A horse whinnies, and she walks towards some other people. Many of them are gathering wood, and she joins in. Three men watch her as she walks past their cage. One of them whispers to Arya and she looks up at the cage.]
"A man has a thirst. The man does not drink for a day and a night. A boy could make a friend."
"His accent isn't Westerosi" Margaery noted.
"He speaks like the dance master" Sansa added with a frown.
A pang passed through Arya. She didn't see Syrio Forel yet, which could only mean one thing...
"I have friends."
"Give us a beer. Before I skin you."
"That one sounds more like scum you'd find in the Dark Cells" Renly snorted.
"A man does not choose his companions. These two, they have no courtesy. A man must ask forgiveness. You're called Arry."
[Arya nods.]
"This man has the honour to be Jaqen H'ghar. Once of the Free City of Lorath."
"Interesting" Oberyn mused.
"Hey, you little shit. Get us beer!"
[Arya throws down the wood she was holding and looks at Rorge angrily.]
"You should have asked nicely."
"Oh, Arya" Catelyn chided her daughter with worry. Her wild child always got in trouble with that attitude. She could only fear the danger she was putting herself in right now.
Ned on the other hand had a different kind of worry seeing Rorge. These were the kind of men being sent to the Wall. How long until they band behind someone and cause a riot? The wall was already undermanned, what would they do if these men stood against them?
[Arya begins hitting the cage with a stick, trying to hit Rorge. Rorge tries to claw back. Jaqen laughs at the exchange. Biter looks on.]
"Arya!" Sansa exclaimed in half worry and half anger. "You're going to get yourself killed!"
Arya made a huffing noise and looked away.
"Come closer. And I'll shove that stick up your bunghole and fuck you bloody."
"The boy has more courage than sense."
"She does" Jon snorted, earning a slap on the arm from said "boy'.
[Rorge reaches out at Arya. Gendry walks past holding wood. Arya joins him.]
"Yoren said none of us were to go near of those three."
"They don't scare me."
"Hmm? Then you're stupid. They scare me."
Arya threw a withering glare at Gendry present at the Hall.
Gendry met her glare with a plain-faced raised eyebrow.
[Two gold cloaks ride in on horseback. Gendry puts down the wood he was carrying. Arya attempts to hide under some wood.]
"What are you doing?"
"They're looking for me."
"Not this time" Gendry chuckled dryly.
"You're in command here?"
"You're a long way from home."
"I asked you a question."
"Aye, you did. You asked without manners. And I chose not to answer."
"I like this man" Brandon the Elder chuckled. "A shame he's a black brother. You could use men like him in the ranks."
"Need I remind you that he is a wandering crow, and wandering crows are hardly if ever good at combat in any form" Rickard pointed out.
"Hardly, meaning there are some who are" Brandon pointed out with a grin.
Rickard rolled his eyes at his eldest.
[The Gold Cloak Pulls out a rolled-up paper and hands it to Yoren.]
"I have a royal warrant. For one of these gutter rats you're transporting."
[Gendry looks at Arya. Arya looks back, pursing her lips.]
"Well, the thing is, these gutter rats belong to the Night's Watch now. That puts them beyond the reach of kings and queens."
[The gold cloak tries to pull out his sword. Yoren quickly pulls out his dagger and puts it on the man's leg.]
"It's a funny thing. People worry so much about their throats, they forget about what's down low. Now I sharpened this blade before breakfast. I could shave a spider's arse if I wanted to. Or, I could nick this artery in your leg and once it's nicked, there's no one around here who knows how to un-nick it."
"See? He knows how to use a weapon" Brandon the Elder pointed out to his father.
Rickard Stark rolled his eyes once more.
[Yoren takes the gold cloak's sword. The other gold cloak pulls his out.]
"We'll just keep that. Good steel is always needed on the wall. Seems you have a choice. You can die here at this crossroads a long way from home. Or you can go back to your city and tell your masters you didn't find what you were looking for."
"I like this man" Robb nodded his head. Perhaps the next time this one visits Winterfell, he can get to know him better.
"We're looking for a boy named Gendry."
[Gendry and Arya look shocked.]
"He carries a bull's head helmet. Anyone turning him over will earn the King's reward. We'll be back. With more men. And I'll be taking your head home along with that bastard boy."
[The gold cloaks ride off. Gendry and Arya stand up. Everyone in the party turns to look at Gendry.]
"And now everyone has their eyes on you. And everyone wants the King's reward" Varys said with a smile.
Gendry buried his face in his hands and groaned softly.
[KING'S LANDING, RED KEEP]
[Tyrion walks through a room and into a hallway, whistling. As he opens the door to his room, Shae laughs, and he stops whistling. Shae and Varys are sitting at a table. Varys stands up, and Tyrion looks at Shae, and closes the door.]
"So much for her being a secret" Tyrion sighed.
Varys merely giggled behind his sleeve.