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

28: You know I would

It was time to say goodbye. For friends. For enemies. For siblings. For fathers and sons. And for two hearts who had just come together...

But they couldn't stay and they couldn't go the same way. Not yet. Gendry Baratheon and Meera Reed would have to wait a little bit longer for their time to come.

Meera and Howland were about to return home to the Neck. They had packed up all their stuff and loaded it on their horses. Howland had even managed to find a basket to fit the cat they had found in and attached it on his horse. The cat did not look or sound happy about the arrangement but apparently, it was going with them. Meera wasn't really sure what her father's plan for it was since she didn't think the cat would get along with the crocodiles back home, but she trusted that he knew what he was doing. Howland usually did.

They went around to all the other lords and ladies to say goodbye before they left. And Meera was noticing that her father left Lord Baratheon's tent for last.

Of course, Meera wanted to see Gendry before she left, but she felt a bit awkward about seeing him with her father around. Especially since her father kept giving her hints that he knew what was going on between them. Which was honestly more than she knew herself. All she knew was that as soon as she saw Gendry her whole body started tingling and all she wanted to do was to be close to him. Maybe she was coming down with some kind of illness, or maybe she was in love.

Meera had never considered love to be something that was for her. It was something that happened to other girls, girls who were preoccupied with dresses, dancing, and embroidering. Meera wasn't that kind of girl and she had thought love to be something those girls made up to have something to talk about. But yet here she was, having her whole world spin every time she looked into his blue eyes and unable to stop thinking of his lips against hers. It was weird, it was amazing, and it was terrifying.

When they finally got to the Baratheon tent her father suddenly seemed to push her in front of him, to let her enter first. One of the guards outside the tent announced their presence and they walked in.

The tent looked just like last time, although brighter than when she had left in a hurry that morning. Both Gendry and Devan were there and they both stood up as the Reeds walked in. Gendry looked like he was upset about something. Perhaps he had been crying even. She wanted to ask him, she wanted to hold him, she wanted to kiss him. But of course, she couldn't.

His eyes met hers and her whole world started spinning. As always. She smiled at him and he smiled back. She was happy to see him smile as he had looked so sad when she walked in.

"Lord Baratheon," Howland said. "I just wanted to say goodbye before we leave. And also assure you that I support your views regarding feeding the people. They should listen to you, as you know better than any of them what it's like. But they don't."

"Thank you, Lord Reed," Gendry replied. "Your support is appreciated."

Howland shook Gendry's hand to say goodbye and then walked quickly towards the exit, leaving Meera in the tent. Devan somehow also managed to slink out the door.

"I will give you two a moment," Howland said as he was leaving.

"Does your father know about..." Gendry asked Meera as they suddenly stood there alone.

He looked surprised, and a bit concerned.

"I think he does... but he won't outright say so," she replied and walked up closer to him.

"And he doesn't want to kill me?"

He looked so anxious she couldn't help herself, she had to hold him. So she walked up the last step to him and put her arms around him. And everything seemed to be alright in the world again. Their hearts beat to the same rhythm, the bodies fit together and their minds became clear.