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

41: The fury

Someone did her Joreen's screams. A ten-year-old boy with a penchant for climbing trees.

Steffon saw Meera leave the castle that morning and decided to follow her to the woods. But once he was out there he was unable to find them. So he climbed a high tree to survey the area. That's when he saw them, in a meadow below the hill on which the tree stood. He saw Lady Baratheon and Joreen, and saw the men who took Lady Baratheon away.

Steffon was too little to fight them. All he could do was watch. And he watched intently. He saw the grey direwolf emblazoned on the men's armor. He knew who they served. These were the king's men.

When the men had left Steffon hesitated for a moment. He wagered if he should run back to Storm's End for help. It wasn't very far and the meadow was the other way. His father and Lord Baratheon would know what to do. But the screams from the upset child called on him. He couldn't leave Joreen out there for a moment longer than necessary. Perhaps the wolves would get to the lonely child before he could return for her.

So the boy quickly scaled down the tree and silently made his way to the meadow in the cover of grass and bushes. He wanted to be sure none of the king's men were left behind. The screams guided his way there as he crouched down in the vegetation. As long as the girl screamed she was still alive.

When he arrived at the meadow it appeared empty, except for the screaming baby. Her cries for her mother grew more and more desperate.

Steffon looked both ways one more time, to be absolutely sure no one was there, before he exited the bushes and made his way to the girl.

"Hi Jory," he said and softly stroked the girl's cheek to try to calm her down. "Don't worry. I'm here now."

The girl got quiet for a moment as she looked up at Steffon suspiciously. Then she continued to scream at the top of her lung's capacity.

Steffon held his nephew Mathos quite often, so he wasn't unaccustomed to handling babies. But they usually weren't as upset at this one. Her little arms and legs punched and kicked at him as he gathered the blanket around her and lift to her to his chest.

"I'll protect you," he whispered and tried to calm the girl by rocking her back and forth slightly.

Steffon would protect Joreen. He would protect her for the rest of his life. He would one day swear an oath to protect her.

The girl settled down slightly from the embrace. She still wailed but her body felt a bit more relaxed. Her arms and legs were no longer flailing wildly.

"Let's go," Steffon said. "Let's take you to your father. He'll know what to do."

***

Gendry heard the scream of his child reverberate the castle. He sat in the Great Hall with Davos, Howland, Stannis, and Bastian. They were just about to start today's council meeting and he figured his wife and Joreen had just got back from the woods. Meera had left a note telling him where they had gone and he trusted her to take care of herself and the girl.

Then the doors to the hall flew open, and his whole world shattered.

Panting and dirty, Steffon Seaworth fell on the floor in front of the main table. The little girl in his arms screamed furiously.

"They took her....." the boy managed to get out before having to catch his breath again.

Dread sunk in Gendry's stomach. He couldn't quite put everything together. But he knew his child was there and his wife wasn't. Something was very wrong.

Davos got up from the table and walked up to his son. Howland followed suit. Gendry was frozen in place.

"Breath, son," Davos said as he kneeled beside the boy and put his arm over Steffon's shoulder. Having his father close seemed to calm the boy slightly and he released his tight grip on the girl in his arms. Davos gently took the girl from his son and handed her to her grandfather.