The Stag and The Frog - (GendryxMeera GOT fanfic) Part 1: Alone

8: An old friend

Gendry could see the relief on the men's faces as they exited them swamp. They could finally feel the sun on their skin again and their horses felt firm ground under their hooves.

Lady Meera Reed was riding next to him. She had taken them along the dry path this time. The path without sinkholes or leeches.

"Follow the King's road, it will take you to the Stormlands. Hopefully, there will be no trouble on your way there. Hopefully, Queen Cersei will be too busy defending the capital to care about you" she said as she turned her horse around and got ready to leave them.

"Goodbye, Lady Reed. Meera," he said and stretched out his hand to touch hers as she rode past him in the opposite direction.

"Goodbye Gendry," she said and touched his outstretched hand.

She squeezed his hand briefly. Then she was gone.

He hoped he would see her again. Because she had made him believe that maybe, just maybe, he could do what he had set out to do. He was scared, but so was she. But being scared didn't stop her, so it wouldn't stop him either.

Of course, if you're reading this story you know he will. He won't just see her again. He will love her. He will go to war for her. After all, that is what this story is about. But we're not there yet. There are castles to claim and kings to elect before that happens.

As she disappeared into the forest Gendry rode up to the front of the Baratheon armies. He took his place next to Ser Balon Swann at the front. Ser Balon gave him a nod as they started marching. They were on their way. They were going home, to the Stormlands.

Gendry wasn't ready to lead them. But he would anyway.

***

The place looked so familiar. He had been there before Gendry realized as they got settled at their resting spot for the night. The Cross Roads Inn. He had been there with her. With Arya.

At that time he had just been running for his life. There had been no time to pay attention to where exactly he was. So when Ser Balon had mapped out their route he had not realized they were about to travel right through his old memories. Many of them still painful for him. Because they all involved her.

But this memory was also about an old friend of his. Someone he had last seen at this place. He wondered if his friend was still there.

As his men set up their camps for the night and made sure both horses and people got fed he decided to see if he could find his friend. He wondered if his friend would even recognize him. Or if he would recognize his friend. It had been so long.

But the tavern looked exactly the same. Just as quaint, just as welcoming. The big wood sign outside was slightly crooked. From inside the stone walls he could hear laughter and cheer from the guests. And songs of the common folk that he knew so well.

As soon as Gendry walked into the tavern he saw his friend. Just like the tavern he looked just the same. Round all over, curly brown hair, kind eyes. He stood there talking to guests. Bragging about his stupid pies. Seeing him made Gendry so happy he couldn't help but call out to him.

"Hot Pie!" he shouted.

His friend turned around. And looked at him as he had seen a ghost.

"Gendry!" was the only thing Hot Pie managed to utter after a long moment of silence. "It's really you!".

Gendry walked up the last few steps to his friend and embraced him. He hadn't realized how much he had missed him until now. Seeing him again reminded him of who he used to be. Hot Pie was the only person in this world who knew exactly who he used to be. Before everything. Before they left King's Landing. Before they knew anything about anything. Not even Arya knew him that well.