Northern Conqueror

Chapter 49: Kissed By Fire

Chapter 49: Kissed By Fire

Gendry was covered in soot when he finally threw down his hammer. It had been a day since he returned with Jon, and though he'd barely slept an hour, he turned to Arya with a content smile. "It's the fastest I've worked, but it should hold up."

"I can't believe you had a new plate ready," she said looking at the brigandine she'd washed, now with a new Targayen chest plate replacing the pierced one. The rings of the haubrek were simple enough to replace, and the gambeson easily switched with one of the others Jon brought.

"I have loose plates for any spot that got damaged," he said gathering his things and loading them into crates.

"And this?" Tormund asked looking at the gorget not unlike the one Jon wore as they gathered the north, only with a direwolf and dragon head facing each other on the front.

"I thought he could wear it when he didn't want to wear the helmet," Gendry explained. "Now he'll just have to grab one of the spares."

With Jon's new sword secure in his sheath, Gendry set the last box on the cart and Rhaegal stirred as the fireguard gathered to make their return to camp. Rhaegal flew overhead, drawing eyes before people heard the cart and made way.

Once they arrived at the tent, Gendry having used a rag to wipe away most of the soot from his face, he took Jon's things and carried them inside. Daenerys and Sansa got to their feet as he set the armor on a chair. Holding the scabbard he drew the new sword, leaving the sheath and belt with the armor as he carried it over to the table and showed it to the queens joined by Davos and Melisandre.

"I don't know if it came out right," he said with a frown toward the sword with Nightbane's hilt.

"Last one that color was mostly dragonglass," Arya explained, "but we only used a chunk of Jon's dagger. Not much more than usual and it still came out like this."

Sansa held out her hands to take it from Gendry. Her eyes traced the blade's smoky black ripples, it's faint shine making it look like a true fusion of dragonglass and steel. Dark like the night sky.

"This is it," Sansa said more than asked, looking to Melisandre, who wore shock. "The night taker your saw."

"It is," Melisandre nodded.

"You saw?" Gendry asked with a wary glance to the Red Woman.

"In the flames," Daenerys said looking at the sword. "She saw this sword, and then a beating heart pumping fire and blood cooled by ice and snow."

Sansa turned, setting the sword on the table, placing the hilt in Jon's open hand.

For a moment they all expected his fingers to close around it and sit up ready to fight, but instead he laid unmoving as before.

"I'll speak the words again," Melisandre said walking around the table. "Let the Lord know he's ready."

As Melisandre put her hands on Jon's chest and began chanting quietly, Daenerys walked around to the armor Arya and Gendry returned. Running a hand over the replaced Targaryen plate she checked inside. "You washed it?"

"Don't want him wearing it with his own blood in it," Arya said with a nod.

A moment later she grunted as Sansa wrapped her arms around Arya. Arya who barely washed her own hair when they were kids had scrubbed away as much blood as she could from his armor.

Once she released Arya, who flashed Sansa a look that told her she'd let that go for now, Sansa moved to stand beside Daenerys. "He'll need fresh clothes," Daenerys said looking to Sansa, who nodded before Daenerys looked to the entrance of the tent and called out, "Willam."