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

23: Before the world shatters

The castle was completely empty and quiet. The new king had yet to make it his. The halls that once had been so fancy were now filled with rubble from fallen walls and furniture. Columns had fallen and curtains had burned. The red carpet of the throne room had turned grey from dust. What had once been a symbol of power was now broken, shattered, burned. A symbol of how easy power can be taken from you.

This was where Meera Reed had ended up after leaving her father. She hadn't planned to go there, she had just ended up there. But it made sense after all apparently this was what it had all been for. Everything they had done up north, everyone who had died. It was for this. For the torn kingdom. For the broken castle. For the throne that was gone.

She sat on the wide stone railing of the balcony attached to the throne room. Her legs were hanging over the precipice. She wasn't going to jump. Don't worry about that. Meera Reed didn't come this far just to throw herself off a balcony. She didn't fight just to end it all. She was overwhelmed, confused and angered, but not defeated.

Darkness was overtaking the capital for the night. The streets of the capital were empty, not a soul was there. Moonlight shone through cracked facades. The stars were as bright as ever since no light from the city disturbed them.

She had been sitting there for hours now. Not knowing what to do. Not being able to go back. Because she couldn't tell anyone what she knew. Yet she felt like she had to tell someone. Before the kingdom fell apart because of the truth she couldn't tell.

That's when she heard a sound behind her. Someone was coming up the stairs to the throne room. She turned around, grabbed her spear and hid behind a pillar. There might be looters or robbers around. The fallen city wasn't safe for lone women at night. At least not for most lone women. But Meera Reed wasn't most lone women.

A shadow appeared in the doorway. Someone was about to walk out onto the balcony. She raised her spear.

"Who are you? What are you doing here? Please leave!" she shouted.

The shadow raised its hands and turned towards her. She recognized him.

"Lady Reed... Meera? What are you doing here?" he said.

Gendry Baratheon. The handsome man she had made fall into the swamp. The kind man who had held her hand. The nervous man she had helped with his jacket. Who made her feel like she mattered when he looked at her, with his darn beautiful blue eyes.

"Can you please stop pointing that spear at me every time we meet?" he continued. "I'm getting worried that one day you will actually use it on me."

"Sorry," she replied, "I hope you know I wouldn't. And you don't have to leave."

She put her spear down.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I needed to get away... "

"What do you need to get away from, Meera?"

"I can't tell you."

She put her spear away and went to sit down on the railing again. He remained in the doorway for a little while, looking a bit hesitant. Like he wasn't actually sure she wanted him there.

"You can sit next to me," she said.

She was happy he was there, and she didn't want him to leave. She never wanted him to leave.

He didn't leave. Their legs touched as he sat down right next to her. And he put his hand on top of hers on the stone railing. His hand wasn't as cold as it had been last time.

"Why can't you tell me what you need to get away from?" he said and gave her hand a light squeeze as he did.

Meera gazed her eyes on the ruins of the city below. Avoiding to meet his eyes, afraid she would blurt it all out if she did. Like those beautiful blue eyes of his would tear down all her defenses if she let them.