The Knight's Daughter

Chapter 6

The warm humid air sticks to my skin as I walk through the streets of King's Landing. The raging sun beams down causing me to sweat uncomfortably. I hold the letter tightly in my hand as I make my way through the alleys.

I apologized to Gendry this morning for acting so abrupt yesterday. I understand that he was only trying to help, but sometimes I like to deal with situations myself.

I finally walk into familiar territory and walk behind the brothel where a few men sit and drink with women on their laps. I open the letter and read it once more.

Relina,

Meet me at noon.

Sidnae.

The letter is short and simple. Sidnae had told me in the past that she never got an education, everything she knows is self-taught. That's why when she writes to me she never writes more than a sentence.

The Great Sept bells ring three times, signaling a death. I watch the door, observing the people who step outside, but I finally see Sidnae. Her blonde hair hangs gracefully down her back, curling at the ends. She wears a dark red dress, the fabric is thin and tight. Her golden brown eyes hold tears in them as she approaches me.

"Relina..." She pulls me into an strong embrace, as if I was a son who had just come back from battle. She reluctantly pulls herself away from me and uses her long delicate fingers to wipe a tear off her cheek.

"You need to leave King's Landing. You and Gendry." She says softly. I've never seen her so fearful in my life. Her eyes move quickly while looking into mine.

"Why? What's the matter?" Her fear transfers to me. When I was a little girl she promised she would always be there for me, and now she wants me to go.

"The King has died," she pauses and leaves me confused, "I heard men talking about how they plan to kill all of Robert Baratheon's bastards. Lord Baelish also knows your true identity." Her last statement stuns me. If Lord Baelish knows who my Father is, then he will soon find a way to use it against us.

"What does this have to do with Gendry?" I ask and she replies quietly while looking to see if anyone is listening.

"He's Robert Baratheon's son," Everything made sense now. It answers why Jon Arryn and Eddard Stark cared so much about Gendry and his mother. "You can not tell him. It's safer that way." She warns me.

"Where will we go?" Hundreds of questions form in my head, but this was the most urgent.

"My friend Yoren will be leading a group of recruits to the wall tomorrow. Tell him your situation and who your father is." She stops her urgent talking and places her cold hand on my cheek and looks at me.

"I love you, Relina." She says, her voice choking at the end. I knew this would be the last time I would see her. The last time I would be able to see the woman that raised me and cared for me, even though I wasn't her own. I throw my arms around her and my silent tears are dried by her dress.

"I love you too." She wipes away my tears and lays her lips on my forehead. She pushes my arm slightly.

"Go now, Relina." I hesitantly begin to walk, looking back at the young face that raised me. She nods her head slightly, signaling that it is okay for me to go.

I move quickly to the smithery while painfully holding in my tears. My father taught me when I was a little girl that crying shows weakness, and your enemies should never know your weaknesses.

I see Gendry working and I approach him and lay my hand on his forearm.

"I need you to trust me," I look deeply into his blue eyes. "We need to leave King's Landing now."

His mouth opens in protest but he quickly shuts it.

"I trust you." He grabs his helmet and we walk out of the smithery. I will write to my father tomorrow and hope he will help us. Gendry and I walk through King's Landing and by the time we make it outside the city, the sun has fallen and darkness consumes us. We walk towards the glowing torches in the distance and enter a camp filled only of men. Ranging from the age of 12-60.

"I don't think this is a good idea, Re." Gendry says hesitantly as he looks around.

"I'll be alright, we just need to find Yoren-" Before I could finish my sentence, I hear a deep northern voice from behind me.

"Come with me boys." The man speaks with confidence. I follow behind Gendry and walk into a dirty linen tent.

"Sidnae told me you were a smart girl, but walking into this camp in a dress just proves to me that she was mistaken," He was right, but before I could apologize he continued to speak. "Cut your hair short and put on these clothes." Yoren tosses me a bundle of clothing.

"I can't thank you enough." I say and he shakes his head.

"You'll be regretting you've every thanked me by the end of this. I'll take you as far Winterfell and the boy to Castle Black." I nod and Gendry stands in silence with his arms folded in front of him. Yoren gives me a half-sympathetic smile before leaving the tent.

"I'll find us a place to sleep." Gendry says before leaving.

I quickly disrobe, not knowing who will walk into the tent next, and put on the putrid clothing. The fabric reeks of booze and filth. I take the dagger from my belt and place it to my hair, pausing for a moment before cutting strands of it off. As I step outside I see Gendry walking towards me.

"You did nice work with your hair." He says with seriousness but I roll my eyes. I follow Gendry and he shows me a spot where we can sleep for the night. I lay down without saying a word and slowly fall asleep.