The Stag and The Frog - (GendryxMeera, GOT Fanfic) Part 2: Together

7: What he died for

Howland sat in the Great Hall of his castle when his daughter walked in, her husband in tow. He looked up at them as they entered, hand in hand.

It was still a bit weird to him that his daughter had a husband. She who only recently had been a little girl who sat in his lap. But supposedly she was an adult now. He actually liked the boy she had married. Gendry was honest and true. Just like his father. And he and Meera seemed absolutely infatuated with each other. It was what Howland had always wanted for his daughter, he just had a hard time getting over that it was happening already.

Only moments ago Meera was a little girl getting into all kinds of trouble in the swamp. Befriending crocodiles, swimming into beaver's nests, climbing trees way too high. And she had always roped her little brother into her shenanigans. It happened on more than one occasion that Howland had to climb a tree himself to save Jojen, who couldn't get down by himself. But Meera could always get herself out of any situation.

But those moments were over. His children were gone. Jojen was dead, and Meera was a married woman. Who seemed to engage in activities that could result in her having children of her own soon.

"I thought I wouldn't have to hear your nightly activities if I placed you in the dock house," Howland said with a slight chuckle. "I realized last night I was wrong."

Howland enjoyed embarrassing and shocking his daughter. It was one of the greatest joys of parenthood to see the grimaces on her face when he talked about things no child wanted to hear their parents mention.

If she only knew what Howland and Ser Swann had been up to the same night. They had the decency to be quieter though. Perhaps he should tell her to see more uncomfortable grimaces on her face though. He decided to save that for another time though.

Meera blushed and Gendry looked down at the floor.

"We didn't mean for... you to hear that," she said.

"You're young and you're just married, you should do... what you were doing," Howland replied. "But do you have to be so loud?"

"Sorry, we'll try to be... quieter."

Meera's cheeks were red from embarrassment. Her husband still couldn't meet Howland's eyes.

"I'll just find something to plug my ears with tonight..." he said. "But I assume that's not what you came here to discuss."

Meera shook her head and shared a look with her husband. They both sat down opposite of Howland before she started speaking. Apparently, this was a sit-down kind of conversation.

This was about Jojen, Howland realized that now. Meera was about to tell him the truth she didn't want to tell.

It was silent for a moment before she finally spoke. In a quieter and more reserved tone than usual.

"Father," she said. "I need to tell you about what actually happened up North, about what happened to Jojen. And what happened to Bran."

Howland looked up and nodded. He had known this moment would come and he had dreaded it. Of course, he wanted to know, but he knew the truth would probably hurt.

His son had died, and Howland hadn't been there to save him. Maybe he could have saved Jojen if he had been there, just like he did when he climbed those trees.

"Does your husband know?" he asked and nodded towards Gendry.

His daughter nodded.

"I told him some of it," she replied. "In the capital, that night when I disappeared."

"I knew you were with him," Howland said with a smile. "I'm glad you found someone you trusted enough to tell."

"We didn't do anything... untoward that night," Gendry said, sounding slightly nervous. "I swear."