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themadauthorshatter · 3 years

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If you're up to date with my posts, then you know what's about to happen.

I've read the books, WE'VE ALL READ THE BOOKS, but this is a somewhat fun switch-a-roo.

Expect a BUNCH of changes that I'll try justifying, especially painful ones, so bear with me🙏

OTP SWAP PART 1: THE CRUEL PRINCE!!!!

I'm starting with the first book for obvious reasons

Like before, we start in the mortal world with Ashley Duarte(yes, human!Cardan's last name is Duarte, but like I said, bear with me) making tacos in the kitchen while one of the MANY dogs and other animals wait for her to drop some food. Baby boy Cardan and his older half-sister Rhyia are watching some human stuff, maybe Looney Tunes or old Mickey Mouse cartoons, when the door is knocked on, which alerts the animals and wakes a half asleep Cardan; Rhyia does not wake up.

Cardan answers it and finds a cloaked Madoc at the door. Rather than ask who he is or call for his mother, he stares at this man, who kneels and asks as evenly as possible if his mother is home.

Cardan slams the door in his face, which prompts Ashley to ask why he did so.

Madoc BANGS on the door and shouts, "Asha!" and Ashley pales as she realizes who is at the door.

She demands Cardan to go upstairs as Madoc kicks the door open and walks inside, giving the same speech as the original, that Balekin told him she'd ran away with his daughter, that she killed a woman who was just as pregnant as her, that she ran away and married some lowly farm hand and blacksmith. He thought it was a lie, but nope. Here she stands.

Asha(which is her real name) is deeply ashamed at his words, and tries to pull Cardan away; an angry Madoc is an unstable Madoc.

Like before, Justin rushes in to save his family, but ends up getting kebabbed with his wife.

Rhyia does wake up to see both and Madoc spills the tea that she's his and needs to pack her bags because they're leaving, and Cardan's coming with.

Cardan, despite being seven, is outraged and tries to kick Madoc into oblivion with no avail. Rhyia, however, swears that she'll never love a monster like Madoc, who simply scoffs and tells her to wrangle the human and gather her things in half an hour, because they're leaving for Faerie.

Reluctantly, they do and they never see the mortal world again for a very long time.

Jump to the present day as Cardan, a now seventeen year old human heart throb, is getting prim and proper for a revel. His hair is getting styled nice, he's in a nice suit, he's wearing a cool belt that makes him look like he has a tail, and has ear cuffs that make his ears look pointed like a faerie.

He also has rowan berries on his wrist, because he doesn't want the necklace to be easy to see as a lot of his shirts show his chest.

He's dolled up and meets Locke, his brother that came around when Madoc married Oriana and had Oak. The two did not get along, at first, but they began to tolerate each ither as they realized they were the only humans in Faerie that were gentry kids.

Locke is more of a bard or a poet, always seen with a little book, and doesn't wear the same stuff Cardan does, so no pointed ear cuffs for him. He's also more accustomed to Faerie, being good with half truths and minor deception. He's on good terms with both Madoc and Oriana.

Cardan, however, is not on good terms with either of them, as he has tried multiple times to leave Faerie, with and without Rhyia with him, and every time ended with Madoc outside scowling at him and leading him back to his room. Still has that 'no kill' rule, but he's better with sneaking and a sword, having been able to lighten his steps so he could sneak past Madoc and his guards whenever he tried to leave. He's not bad with a sword, but he still has a lot to learn, being 17 and all. When he doesn't have a sword in his hands, he has an animal in them, i.e. a foal, a dog, or, at one point, a skunk that was calm enough to not spray him. Yeah, animal lover that can hold his own.

The two exchange banter and Locke shows show rare excitement for this revel, saying the two will have the time of their lives. Locke, who isn't as close with her, wonders where Rhyia is, but Cardan reveals she's not attending, instead going to visit some friends in the mortal world.

Her funeral as the boys saddle up with Oriana amd Madic and go to the revel.

Similar events occur, like Oriana telling the boys to be careful, Madoc talking to Dain and Balekin, and Locke leading Cardan through the revel so they can have a good time.

IT GOES DOWNHILL WHEN THE GREENBRIAR TWINS AND THEIR FRIENDS ARRIVE. Jude, her older sister Taryn, and their friends, Edir, a bard that can sing and play anyone under the table, Valerian, who's a sadist, and Nicasia, the princess of the Undersea.

Jude and Taryn may have the same face and body, but don't be fooled, Jude has horns, always wears a sword, and will slap you in a dress and then set it on fire without a second’s hesitation. Taryn, however, always has a bunch of flowers in her hair, always wears a dress, and uses words as her weapon. Did you know that she broke on of the most boisterous men in Faerie qith nothing but her words? True story. Edir is the guy that keeps them both in check, an order of Balekin's, which we'll learn later. He is also more of Jude's friend and Taryn's bed buddy, in SFW terms. Nicasia is Jude's friend, like FRIEND, and Valerian is the same, really, just more of an ass now that he has more even targets.

Everyone bows to these guys, even Cardan and a smirking Locke. That smirk vanishes when Taryn winks at Cardan, who Jude GLARES AT.

Locke feels the same way, cinfused and angry, but no time to think in it because Valerian storms toward a confused Cardan and grabs him by the collar, snarling that he can play dress up and make believe all he wants because it won't hide his plain hair or round ears or barn dog smell, so he shouldn't even bother.

Valerian throws him back and Locke rounds on Cardan, asking him what the hell that was between him and Taryn. Cardan brushes him off, as it was just a wink, not a lap dance. Before they can REALLY go at it, crying draws their attention and see that Jude just pincushioned someone who didn't bow, said someone nkw having a hole in their stomach and a slash across their torso. Taryn is annoyed, Nicasia and Valerian are trying not to laugh, and Edir, who's embarassed, is scolding Jude for losing it at a revel.

Jump to after the revel and the day of school. The boys do indeed get dirt kicked on their food, but instead of 'make me,' Cardan snaps, 'TRY me,' because Nicasia asks if he's as filthy as other human boys. Locke talks him down, but Valerian, kicking more dirt and even throwing some IN Cardan's face, asks if the two qould like them for friends.

Locke apologizes for Cardan, but Jude commands he prove it by dropping out of the tournament, it'll be less embarrassing than getting his ass beaten in front of everyone.

Nicasia spots one of the ear cuffs and pulls it off, asking if he stole it. Big mistake because the cuff burns her hand, as it is iron and iron hurts Faeries.

Cardan smirks and the group leaves, Locke scolding him for being stupid.

Later, at dinnner, after talk of Dain's coronation, Cardan, despite some minor objection from Rhyia, asks Madoc a question: May he please have a green sash for the tournament? Why? He would like to be a knight, please and thank you. Madoc chikes on his wine, Locke coughs to hide a laugh, Rhyia winces, and Oriana os shicked into silence.

Madoc gives it to him straight: he's not bad with a sword, he's good on his feet,and he's the best damned rider that anyone's ever seen, but no. He cannot compete for knighthood, on the count of being the furthest thing from a killer imaginable and just being in over his head.

Cardan protests that he can do just fine, but Madoc warns him to stop before he gets himself thrown in a dungeon instead if his room until the coronation of prince Dain.

Cardan relinquishes and we get the salt prank like before, except Locke is pissed beyond all reason at his foster brother. Cardan doesn't mind until he's grabbed by Edir and Valerian, Locke being pulled by the hair by Jude and both are thrown in the river, which has Nixies in it.

Thier supplies get yeeted, Locke gets pulled out by Valerian and is made to kiss Jude on the lips and both her horns, but, when asked, Cardan does not give up, vowing that he will never give up, which makes Jude laugh and the group leave.

Locke and Cardan walk home, get some baths, and go to bed, except they go to the mortal world with Rhyia and meet her friends Vivienne and Heather at the mall. Vivienne apologizes for Jude's behavior, and we learn that Rhyia is planning to leave Faerie, and is probably going alone.

The boys return and endure a lesson, but Jude pushes Locke's buttons, so Cardan pushes her into a tree. Challenge accepted.

TOURNAMENT TIME!! Cardan fairs wellin that Valerian is lazy, Edir is out of shape, and Jude got cocky, so he wins.

Jude fumes at him, later grabbing him by the tail on his belt amd demanding he beg for her forgiveness. He does... NOT! And spits in her face that she may push him down, but he'll pull her down with him, and it will hurt her like hell.

Taryn approaches him and expresses interest in him, saying that she once took both Edir and Nicasia from Jude because people just like a sensitive girl.

She leaves and the tournament eventually ends, which leads Cardan to return hime and meet Dain, who requested one of Madoc's people to tell Cardan one of Eldred's children had come for a visit.

Dain and Cardan get talking and Dain offers him something that isn't knighthood: spying. Plus one wish.

Cardan knows what he wants: to not be controled.

Granted, but Dain can still control him and the fruits of Faerie will still effect him.

Screwy, but deal, he's a spy now

STAY TUNED FOR PART 2!!!!!

#the cruel prince #the cruel prince trilogy #folk of the air #cardan greenbriar #jude duarte #locke #taryn duarte #otp swap #jude x cardan #jurdan

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steves-on-a-plane · 3 years

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Snow

For @thefanficfaerie‘s OTP Challenge (2020) Words: 836 Pairing: Steve Rogers x Reader Prompt: Winter Wonderland: Day 6 - Snow Summary: It’s the first snow of the season & Reader is eager to enjoy every minute of it. She does her best to drag Steve out of bed, he willingly comes along without much protest. When it’s time to head inside, Steve has some plans of his own.

“Iiiit’s beginning to look a lot like Christmaaaaas! Everyyyywhere you go!” You bellowed loudly, out of key and off tempo. Steve covered his ears and laughed just as loud from his spot in bed.

“Is this going to be my alarm for the next nineteen days?” He asked, moving his hands away from his face.

“Only if there’s snow on the ground.” You proclaimed. You threw open the curtains of your bedroom so that Steve could see the blanket of white covering your front lawn. “I love snow.” You sighed happily.

“Wait a minute, I thought you hated snow.” He recalled before dragging himself up into a sitting position.

“I do, but we’re enjoying the little things this year remember! So, get your snow gear on, Honey.” You leapt onto the bed and attempted to shove Steve out of it.

“Okay, I’m going, I’m going.” He smirked. As you gave him another gentle shove, Steve pretended that you successfully pushed him off the bed. He crashed to the floor with a hard thud.

“So dramatic!” You rolled your eyes, you leaned over the side of bed and peeked down at him. “You okay down there, old man?” You teased him.

“If you’re trying to kill me for my life insurance, it’s going to take a lot more than that.” He informed you, finally getting to his feet.

“Okay, last one dressed has to shovel the walk!” You declared before sprinting out of the bedroom.

“Wait, that’s not fair! You’re already dressed!” He called after you.

You put on your winter jacket and pulled the hood up over your head. You tucked your feet into your fur lined boots and opened the front door. You were immediately met with a blast of icy cool air so cold it had you reconsider going out there. With a determined huff you stepped outside. You had to get out there and inspect the quality of the snow before Steve.

There was a large oak tree that sat off the corner. You sat in front of it and got to work building a snow mound. This would be your primary line of defense for what you had planned next. You’d managed a semi-circle about four inches tall before Steve stepped out of the front door.

“What are you doing over there?” He called out to you and fat fluffy flakes continued to flutter to the ground.

“Definitely not building a snow fort.” You answered before hastily trying to pack more snow into your semi-circle structure. Steve edge closer to you, inspecting your snow fort.

“Good foundation.” He appraised. “You covered your blind spot by pressing your back against the tree. But, I have one tactical advantage over you.” He bent down and scooped a fist full of snow. “You’re not protected against arial attacks!” He proclaimed before tossing a perfectly formed snowball at you.

“Ah, no!” You tried to duck but it was no use. The snow made contact with your shoulder and burst into powder. “That’s not fair! My fort’s not done yet.”

“All is fair in love and war, isn’t that how the saying goes?” Steve disagreed.

“Well, since it seems you have some tactical advantages, both your height and your ability to make basically perfect snowballs, I guess I’ll have to employ a new strategy.” You decided.

“Oh? What’s that?” Steve asked.

“Over taking you with rapid fire!” You had several small, imperfect snowballs that you lobbed at Steve as quickly as you could.

From that point forward the war was on. You and Steve chased each other around the yard trying your hardest to avoid getting hit while still landing your mark. Steve was of course not running at his full speed to give you a fair chance, which actually meant you were winning. The icy air filled your lungs, and the muscles in your legs burned as you tried to sprint through the now ankle-deep snow. When you finally felt like you couldn’t run anymore you collapsed to the ground, letting the snow cushion your fall.

“Great idea, Darling.” Steve walked over, not out of breath at all, and dropped down next to you. “Snow Angels.” He smiled waving his arms and legs in the snow.

“Too tired for that.” You breathed.

“Well, I know what we can do instead.” Steve propped himself up on his elbows. “How about we go inside, I draw you a nice hot bath to get you warmed up?”

“Mmm, that sounds nice.” You agreed. “Too bad I’m too tired to move right now.”

“I could carry you in.” He offered. You felt one of his hands find its way to yours. “Maybe help you get undressed, stick around to make sure you don’t drown.”

“So you’ll get in the tub with me?” You asked looking over at him.

“Purely for safety reasons.” He assured you.

“Oh of course.” You nodded. “And what if I told you that was my plan all along?”

“I’d say great minds think alike.” He smiled.

#Steve Rogers #Steve Rogers x Reader #Steve Rogers Reader Insert #Steve Rogers Fan Fiction #Steve Rogers FF #Steve Rogers Fan Fic #Steve Rogers Imagine #OTP Challenge #OTP Challenge 2020 #Winter Wonderland #Christmas #Christmas 2020

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gendrie · 7 years

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I miss your AxG headcanons so pls tell me about your favorite moments between the two and why they're important

i miss talking about them in general tbh. like im so happy about the asoiaf fandom being comatose but goddamn! i miss arya and gendry sf much. and it hurts all the more knowing their ACTUAL CANON REUNION is practically within fucking reach but grrm refuses to finish twow. its torture. but whatever. im gonna list like every single arya/gendry scene now to cope™

with ned: okay not technically a moment between them except it kinda is??? an entire book before they even meet and they have these parallel scenes with ned where we see how stubborn and defiant they are.

love @ first sight: gendry is literally introduced into arya’s story defending her. i love him.

the (fight) proposal: you ever notice how they mirror each other in that scene where arya tries to get gendry to fight her?? cause i have. and how they both lead the other around. which is like their relationship in a nut shell

“Stubbornly, Arya dragged all the harder, pulling the crying girl along. Hot Pie scuttled back inside, abandoning them … but Gendry came back.” nuff said

as m’lady commands: obviously iconic. what can i say that i havent before? nothing. but i wanna emphasize the significance of arya confiding her identity in gendry. again. like jfc. he’s the only one. her arc revolves around this being a secret and fragile thing. that could make or break her. and he protects it which protects arya. and when every one else sees arry or weasel or nan gendry sees arya. the power of a name y’all. also kindred spirits. oh and gendrys shameless flirting before he finds out arya is highborn.

The Female Gaze: the language here is my fave. its almost flowery for arya. (the play of muscles~~ the steel music he made~~) just like when she watches him polish his “”beautiful”” helm. even if arya isn’t consciously crushing she admires gendry abilities…….and his smoking hot bod.

that time arya saw gendry naked. grrm wrote that tiny detail in for no reason im sure lmao

the first chapter in asos where arya’s all about the determined stubborn look on gendrys face. just some more casual observations that im sure mean nothing. oblig: “"NO!“ Arya and Gendry both said, at the exact same instant.” theres a trope for that. plus mutual teasing of hot pie. the latter two here show how they’re on the same freaking wave length. about most things at least.

“In his chainmail shirt with a sword in his hand, Gendry looked almost a man grown, and dangerous.” here she goes again.

acorn hall: listen im gonna keep it short on this one bc if i Start its gonna get out of control real fast. so i’ll say this: endgame

the most underrated thing about the stoney sept is how arya stands on gendrys shoulders to pour water over those men. imagine his pov. ugh. but like he was there for her to literally stand on when she needed a boost.

and then they have their little lovers quarrel at the peach but i love that shit too. the angst of it all. they have a real difficult time seeing the others perspective sometimes bc they’re from different worlds but i think in the future this will become easier for them. bc the worlds in for a rude awakening. bonus: i love gendry blushing. its important.

“Gendry hooted. “Those soft little things?” he called out.” arya’s hands have killed. gendry’s literally seen them covered in blood but then he literally yells this in a room full of people. he doesn’t see her as this killer. he still thinks she’s just a girl with soft little hands.

gendry joining the brotherhood seemingly sucks but they had to be separated so they could meet when they’re older and wiser and ready 2 be together. thats storytelling 101

im gonna call this bullet: god bless ned dayne. his existence is a huge neon sign of romantic subtext lmao. the mental image of gendry in this scene kills me. he was so pressed.

and then gendry chased arya through the trees and the rain before she was kidnapped by the hound. he tried to save her. again. but she needs to be on her own AND I GET THAT AND I RESPECT IT because its important for their relationship and character growth

their reunion. it hasnt happened yet but i already love it

#this was therapeutic tbh #thank you #blacksmithgendry #ask #a nice oak tree #the otp headcanons

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whatisahyunjin · 5 years

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one true pairing; hhj

pairing: reader × hwang hyunjin

genre: fluff

plot: in which you discover that your roommate likes the same band as you

masterlist

it was late at night and you were being a couch potato, scrolling through tumblr trying to get your hands on a good fanfiction in the dark living room.

it was a struggle really, you had already read almost all the fics in the hashtag, nothing seemed interesting or new anymore.

"ah ha~" you exclaimed as you ferreted a hybrid au about your bias. it was not really your thing but it was better than nothing.

"it was getting darker and darker as she walked through the forest with nothing but the faint light of the distant moon to guide her. something was awry. she turned around swiftly and her sight met a rustling bush beside a large oak tree. her eyes went wide with fear and she took a step back as the noise grew closer. she tripped over a tree root and fell hard. the creature moved nearer until-"

you screamed at the top of your lungs as you felt a hand on your shoulder. in a desperate attempt to distance yourself from the entity, you jumped off the couch and fell on your butt. when your eyes adjusted to the darkness and regained your senses, you saw your pretty roommate standing behind the couch with his hand outstretched, unsure about what to do.

"geez you scared me," you stood up, rubbing your butt.

"i'm sorry...?" he said, giving you a weird look.

"weren't you supposed to be working on your project tonight with jisung?" you asked him, plopping back on the couch.

"yeah but he recalled that he had a presentation due tomorrow so he cancelled," hyunjin replied, sitting beside you.

you neglected his reply as you were again occupied with your fanfic and what happened to the main character.

"what are you reading?" hyunjin queried, looking over your shoulder.

again you ignored him, invested in your phone, your eyebrows glued together.

"(nammmmeeeeee)," your roommate whined.

not getting any response again, he snatched the device from you while you let out a cry of surprise.

"hyunjin you-" you yelled and tackled him but he was already reading whatever was on your mobile.

"is this a fanfiction?" he looked at you with raised eyebrows.

"yes it is, now give it back," you demanded.

turning you a deaf ear, he scrolled through it more before exclaiming, "is this about (your favourite band/group)?"

"yes, give it back, hyunjin"

"no i want to read it too"

his response had you shook. "you like them?!"

"yes i do!" he answered like an over-enthusiastic puppy.

"why didn't you tell me earlier? we could have attended so many events together! i didn't go because none of my friends like it," you spoke, pouting.

"haha poor you, i have many friends who like them," he grinned.

"well sucks for me i have like two friends. and i don't absolutely love them? like they're alright," you sighed.

"it's okay, you have me and you love me," he smiled at you.

you rolled your eyes and sat back comfortably. you animatedly chatted about the band to hyunjin for what seemed like hours. it was as if he was meant to be your roommate, you two had the same bias, same favorite song, music video, everything.

you decided to binge watch the band's videos in the living room that night. hyunjin prepared popcorn while you brought pillows from your bedroom.

"(name) hurry up!" you heard him yell from the living room.

"coming!" you dashed there and sat down beside him, both of you sitting very weirdly on the couch, munching on food non-stop.

you watched the television for hours. you could here birds chirping outside by now.

and something happened during that time but the tired boy's head was now resting on your lap as the two of you watched a music video of the band.

"(name)~"

you were startled at your name being called because you were so engrossed in the video. you looked down to your roommate looking back at you.

"it's late, we should sleep," he whispered, giving you a small smile.

you blushed at the proximity and nodded. no you didn't have the slightest crush on him since you first laid your eyes on him. you never thought about his pretty face or his nice voice or his cute little laugh. absolutely not.

the said boy got up from the couch and held his hand out for you to take. you took it, butterflies erupting in your stomach at the contact.

as hyunjin was about to go into his room, you called his name, standing in the door frame.

"yes?" he peeped out of the door.

"what's your otp?" you asked him, wanting to talk to him more, even if it's about the band.

hyunjin thought for a moment but said nothing and instead stepped out of his room and walked towards you. you could hear your heart beating faster with every step he took.

when there was barely a foot of distance between you two, your chests almost touching, you looked up at his smirking face. he leaned in closer and pecked your lips before turning back.

"us," he replied to your question, leaving you flustered and alone in the hallway.

i actually kind of really like this? idk lmao.

please like/reblog/follow for more! send requests in my ask box or dm me, i don't have a very creative imagination!

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outlawarya · 2 years

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THE STARKS ARE BY FAR THE MOST PROLIFIC FAMILY IN THE UPPER ECHELONS OF SOCIETY

Arya Stark travels a lot. If interrogated on the subject, she’d justify saying that there’s just much more of the world then the eternal circle that the aristocracy lives on. The answer matches her personality so much that rarely ever someone second guesses it, even Gendry, who knows her better than most.

Frequenting the Starks manor for years now, he has spent a lot of time silently observing Arya, her easy-going way, her enchanting smile and her sharp tongue, inwardly scribbing a life where he could ever ask for her hand. However, as the bastard he is, he has to content himself with his quiet yearning.

It’s all bound to remain the same forever, until they spend more and more time together and their perception of each other start to change, making both of them question what they thought they knew about each other—and themselves.

#gendrya #gendryaedit #gendrya au #arya x gendry #arya stark #aryastarkedit #gendry #gendry waters #gendry baratheon #asoiafedit #asoiaf au #gotedit #got au #bridgerton au #starksaubridgertons #housestarkedit #stark siblings #starkedit #otp: a nice oak tree

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aryas-tark · 5 years

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All I know is that you're beautiful and I love you, and none of it will be worth anything if you're not with me.

#gotedit #gendrya #game of thrones #arya stark #gendry #idk man #im still emotional #this doesn't even make any sense??#*#mine #otp: a nice oak tree #1k

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danysghost-archive · 5 years

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True Rulers, 3

Blurb: What if the Seven Kingdoms, for once in their whole shit history, were ruled by a just woman and an honorable man?

Word Count: 2032 (WOW OKAY)

Warnings: ONE swear word lmao

A/N: here is chapter three!! thank you @miladyaryastark for giving it a look over beforehand, if she didn’t do that, this chapter would be WAY worse. here are chapters one and two so you can catch up, here is the ao3 link, and please enjoy!

The king and queen were sitting in the throne room, each in their own chair. Even before Gendry was elected, he found the sight of the Iron Throne ghastly. Arya herself had never cared for it, more for her enemies who had previously sat there. And so, after very little discussion, they had asked Daenerys if she would destroy it. She was more than willing, as was Drogon. They designed their new seats themselves, neither bigger or more ornate than the other. From the start of their marriage, it was always a shared rule. The smallfolk were slow to adjust, but once they witnessed the power the two had together, there were no more questions.

Now, less than 10 hours after revealing her pregnancy to Gendry, the queen was focusing all her energy on the issues of the smallfolk. It was a day for them to present their problems and seek help, which Arya could not have been more grateful for. “Sir, please come forward,” she called to the next man in line. “Please, speak.”

Gendry wanted to listen. The smallfolk were a huge priority of his, considering he’d been one of them for the first 23 years of his life. But the elderly man in front of him was quickly tuned out. His mind was drawn to his conversation with Arya last night. They hadn’t talked about having kids, not that he never considered it. But now it was real, which make him happy. Still, he couldn’t help but feel that Arya wasn’t excited. And if she wasn’t, what would she ask of Maester Sam? What would she do to herself, and to their unborn child inside her?

“You’re Grace?” her voice gently called.

Gendry looked over to her, and then to the man in front of them. “Ahem, well… what do you think, my queen?”

Arya gave him a small smile and looked back to the man. “Sir, we will send two men from the city guard to help you reinforce you fences. They will assist you for the next week. Is that alright?” When the man nodded, Arya rose from her seat. “Thank you everyone, but we must take our leave. You may speak again in a fortnight.”

Gendry stood as well, nodding in agreement. “Yes, thank you all.” The guards escorted everyone out of the throne room and shut the doors behind them. He offered his hand to Arya, beginning his way down the steps. “Samwell is waiting for us in his surgery. We need to inform him of the child.” He watched, though, as the queen refused his assistance, and stomped her way down the stairs.

“I don’t want to go down there. It stinks to all the Seven Hells, and I’m sick enough as it is.” She quickly combed her fingers through the half of her hair that was down. The other half was intricately braided. She might not have been a fan of the dresses of a typical lady, but she had no problem letting her hand maids teach her fancy twists. They kept her wild locks out of her eyes all the same. “Besides, I’d like to tell Jon before I tell a maester. He’s my family, as much as you are, and I’d like to let him know.”

“Let him know what?” The clear, strong voice of Jon rang out through the throne room. He was standing in the back entrance.

Arya smiled and started to run towards him, but stopped after the first few steps. “It’s good to see you again, Jon.” She grabbed his arm and dragged him in Gendry’s direction. “We were just discussing the upcoming meeting. Sansa and Yara will be coming, so I was proposing the idea of them getting married.” She bit the inside of her cheek. “What do you think?”

Her brother let out a slightly condescending laugh. “Arya, they would have to change their laws. They may be independent, but their people are still nervous to change. It’ll take a few years before ladies are allowed to marry each other anywhere. At least in Westeros.” He shook Gendry’s hand and gave a quick bow. They were family, so most formalities were excused.

Arya folded her arms. “Well, maybe we’ll start changing them. Sooner, rather than later.”

The king put his hand on his wife’s shoulder. “Arya. Tell him.” His voice was soft. He didn’t want to push her, not in her state. But he knew keeping it from Jon too long would only make things worse.

Jon looked between them. “What’s wrong?” His eyes landed on his sister. “Arya?”

The lady shot an angry glare at her husband, and slammed her foot on top of his. The heel of her boots crushed his smaller toes, cracking the joints. “Thanks a lot.” She straightened her bodice, which was now looser than she normally had it. “You’d better not be angry with me.” Her voice was threatening, but it hid a shyness that not many got to see.

Jon shook his head. “Why would I be angry?”

She took a deep breath, passing one final look to Gendry. “Because… I’m carrying Gendry’s child.” Her eyes were steel daggers on her brother’s face; waiting, watching to see how he would react.

Gendry himself, on the other hand, wore a completely bewildered look. He may be the king, but Jon was Arya’s older brother. There was an automatic protection, and for Gendry, danger.

The Northman broke into a grin, and kissed Arya’s cheek. “I’m very happy for you.” Almost immediately after, he slung an arm around Gendry’s shoulders, pulling him in tightly. He leaned in, their foreheads nearly touching. “If anything happens to my sister while she carries that child, I will lob your cock off so fast, you won’t even know it’s gone.”

Arya scoffed and pulled the two apart. “Oh, please, I’m going to be fine. Sam is the best maester we could hope for. Besides, compared to everything else… how hard could being pregnant be?”

Just then, the creaking of the main doors cut the silence. “You’re pregnant?”

The trio turned.

It was Sansa. Standing in the open doors, wearing a dark blue gown, embroidered with a direwolf across the chest, weirwood leaves along the hem, and snowflakes down the sleeves. She wore her silver crown atop her straight red hair. She was a vision to behold, as always. She drifted across the floor, Ser Brienne appearing behind her, quickly meeting her siblings and the king near the other end of the room. “You’re pregnant,” she directed to Arya again, this time not a question. She was smiling, but trying to hide it by biting her lip. Sansa, while still sharp of mind, had gotten back some of the excitable, young girl she used to be. Arya knew it was taking a lot for her not to immediately start suggesting names.

The queen raised her eyebrows at her husband. “My dear, I think we need thicker doors.” The girls bowed to each other, in respect of their own kingdoms, and quickly hugged. They all made their way to the royal dining room for supper, updating each other on their lives. Sansa and Yara had arranged trade deals between the North and the Iron Islands, moving through the proper channels to hopefully unite both kingdoms. The two had met at the council meeting after the taking of Kings Landing, and as queens of independent kingdoms, thought it would be good to keep in touch. Arya wasn’t surprised when she heard they were together.

“I knew there was something there!” Arya bellowed. “Any time you mentioned her, it got more and more romantic. You can’t fool me, sister.” She took a sip of ale, passing a smirk to Sansa.

The Northern queen couldn’t help but laugh. “It’s not my fault you use those wild assassin skills as an advantage,” she quipped back. For a moment, the three Stark could almost feel like it was one of their family dinners; the kind Ned and Catelyn would make jokes at, and where Bran and Arya would pretend to duel with their knives. But as much as any of them wished they could have one of those again, Sansa was usually the realist. She dabbed her lips clean with the cloth, and lowered her eyes to her lap, trying to hide the sadness in them. “So… do you know what will happen after the child is born?” She flicked her gaze up to Gendry. “Regarding the succession?” She sat up straighter and placed her hands on the table. “You have thought about that, right?”

Jon put his hands up a bit, already knowing the storm that could brew. “Maybe we should stay out of it, Sansa. They probably want to discuss it on their own.” His voice was level and calming. He was good at mediating, which make him excellent as Master of Laws.

Gendry sighed uncomfortably. “Well, we only found out last night. It hadn’t crossed my mind.” He suddenly took Arya’s hand in his, under the table, squeezing it. He told himself he was doing it to comfort her, but it was definitely more for his own sake. “I think we wanted to wait until we could discuss it with the small council.”

Arya scrunched her forehead. “We should keep the election method. Changing so quickly would be unfair to other houses, unfair to others who could rule better.” She pulled her hand from his. “We can’t betray their trust.” She speared a piece of pigeon with her fork and ate it swiftly. Even at dinner, she followed Syrio’s lessons.

Hurt crossed Gendry’s eyes. He and Arya had their disagreements at times, but somehow this felt different. More raw. “Well, I think it’s worth discussing with the small council before we make any final decisions.” He leaned back in his chair and smiled at his sibling-in-laws, hoping it would ease the tension.

The queen rolled her eyes at her husband. Without another word, Arya slid back from the table and headed for her chambers.

Sansa huffed. She felt guilty for even bringing it up, and more so that it had upset her sister. “I should go check on her.” She got up from her chair and rounded to Gendry’s side of the table, giving him a pitiful look. “You, of all people, know she doesn’t take kindly to being told what to do.” She kissed her brothers cheek and briskly followed after Arya.

Jon pressed his lips into a thin line and shrugged. “She’s right. And you know it,” he grumbled, sipping his wine. “Just apologize and talk about it together, alone. She’s more likely to listen to you, then.” He patted his shoulder, hoping it was at least somewhat comforting.

The king let his head fall into his hands, releasing a frustrated moan as he did so. He knew his queen make a point, and he couldn’t argue that keeping the election system was better than bloodline succession. But something in the back of Gendry’s mind - or maybe in the back of his heart - didn’t want to give up the chance the child would have at ruling. He looked in the direction Arya had left. Quickly, he called in the squires and maids, thanked Jon for joining them, and excused himself to bed. Thinking on it, running to the royal chambers was the fastest he’d ever moved. He stood at his own bedroom door in no time, opening it as quietly as he could. He saw that his wife was already in her sleeping gown, all candles snuffed, and asleep.

He changed into a long, torn up tunic and slid under the blanket next to her. His chest felt tight, and as he looked down at her sleeping face, he remembered exactly why he asked her to marry him in the first place. He leaned down and kissed her temple. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, so quietly, he wasn’t sure she would be able to hear him, even with his lips grazing her ear. He settled into the downy and closed his eyes. As he felt himself drifting off, a small pair of lips pressed themselves onto his cheek.

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