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

30: Crossroads

The tavern at the Cross Roads Inn was loud, bustling, and crowded. All the tables were filled with people and the barmaids were running around trying to feed everyone. But the tavern still had a welcoming feeling as fresh flowers stood on the tables and the place smelled like freshly baked bread and fried onions.

But outside in the courtyard, the feeling was less than welcoming, as refugees from the capital were living there in tents. The courtyard was filled with suffering and misery. It was muddy, wet, and cold since it had been raining the last few nights. Children were running around in way too little clothes for the weather. The Inn was feeding the people as well as they could because they couldn't really let people starve, but they were running scarce on resources as well.

Meera sat at a table inside the tavern. Next to her, the fluffy cat that Howland had brought from the capital was sitting. Her father had insisted on the cat coming in with them and even given it its own plate. The cat was very docile and didn't seem to have any intentions of running away. It just sat there on its chair, looking like it owned the place. Meera was feeding it some scraps from her meat pie. It seemed to prefer to be hand-fed.

Opposite of her Robin Arryn and Tyrek Lannister sat. Two boys. Two Lord Paramounts. Two men with great responsibilities to the kingdom and the people. One with blonde curls and one with dark locks. Neither had a beard yet. They were currently engaged in a game of arm wrestling. Tyrek appeared to be winning.

Meera, Howland, Tyrek, Robin, and Lord Royce had all arrived at the inn together to arrange how to dispense food to the commoners who had fled from the capital. Howland Reed and Lord Royce were therefore currently engaged in conversation with the owner of the inn about how to set this up.

A blond barmaid came up to their table and started gathering plates. Suddenly the girl noticed the cat as it started swatting at her long braids when she reached over the table.

"Oh my," the barmaid exclaimed. "I didn't see this pretty kitty sitting here. It looks so regal."

"It's from the capital," Meera replied. "My father's trying to a home for it. There are crocodiles where we live so we can't bring it with us."

"I could take care of him if you wanted me to," the girl said. "I'm about to get married and my husband and I will move into a cottage not far from here. He's a baker and will start up a pie bakery by the cottage. So we will need a cat to take care of mice."

"I think the cat would like that," Meera said and smiled. "It does seem to like pie."

"Does the cat not have a name?"

"Not one I know at least. We haven't given it one as we're not keeping it."

"It does look very regal... I think I will call it Ser Pie."

The cat seemed to perk up and look at the girl as she said the name, almost like it already recognized it. The girl reached out and petted the creature who now had laid down to wash itself on the chair.

"I'll come over and get him after the workday ends," she said. "I'm Annie by the way, nice to meet you."

"I'm Lady Meera Reed," Meera replied. "I'll take care of the cat until then."

As Annie left Meera suddenly noticed the two lords by the table looking longingly after her. Annie was very pretty and the cleavage of her dress revealed a quite large bosom that apparently interested the boys.

"If only I could have a wife like that," Tyrek said. "Whoever is marrying her is very lucky."

"She's just a barmaid, " Robin countered. "You'll marry a lady, surely she'll be even more beautiful."