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If Gendry had known how long he’d be in that bloody boat for, he never would’ve gotten on.
As it was, it was the only way for him to leave Dragonstone undetected. Smuggled out by Ser Davos, he’d been popped into the boat and told to row until he found King’s Landing. The Onion Knight had even been kind enough to give him some food for the journey.
‘Just keep rowing until you reach King’s Landing,’ Ser Davos says. ‘It should only take a few days.'
Famous last words.
++
He’s still surrounded by sea five days later, King’s Landing is nowhere in sight and, to make matters even worse, he’s run out of food. He’s tried fishing, but he’s had no luck. After a while, Gendry gives up and lies down. He falls asleep clutching his oars to his chest like a toy.
A sudden warm feeling on his head startles him and he sits up abruptly, rocking the boat. Reaching up to touch his hair, he curses loudly.
He’d been shat on by a seagull.
He looks up at the bird circling the sky nearby and internally vows to have his revenge on that stupid bird.
‘Fuck you, bird,’ he says, dipping his hand into the ocean before trying to wash out the mess in his hair.
++
Gendry eventually settles into a routine.
Wake up. Go fishing. Row. Sing the sailor songs he used to hear in Flea Bottom. Catch a bird. Row some more. Talk to himself. Row a little bit more.
Things are starting to look up for him; he’s managed to figure how to fish and he’s pretty good at it, if he says so himself.
And all that rowing has done wonders for his arms. They’re the thickest they’ve ever been in his life.
If only there was someone around to appreciate them. If only there was someone around to help him row the fucking boat.
He wishes Hot Pie and Arya were in the boat. Hot Pie would be a terrible rower, but he’d be able to cook. Arya would be even better, because she’d insist on sharing the rowing and make him laugh.
The chances of him ever seeing them again are next to zero, which is slightly higher than his chances of finally reaching land.
++
He was lying earlier.
It’s not fine. Gendry can’t remember the last time he saw land, can’t remember the last he saw anything that wasn’t blue or watery. He’s starting to talk to the seagulls that swoop over his little boat and they’re answering back.
He’s going to die out here in the middle of nowhere. His body will become food for the birds and his bones will float in the boat forever and ever.
++
Gendry’s breath catches at the sight before him.
Sweet, sweet land! No more fishing! No more catching birds! No more rowing! He hopes Master Mott still has a place for him at his armoury; he’d liked working there and suddenly being dismissed had actually hurt.
But more importantly, Gendry thinks, as he rows underneath the giant statue, he’s going to burn that fu–
Hang on, giant statue?
Gendry looks up. Either he’s been gone for longer than he thought, or he’s not even in King’s Landing anymore.
‘Shit,’ he says, as the current takes him down the canal.
++
He soon discovers he’s in fucking Braavos of all places. He’s not even in the right continent anymore.
Gendry spends hours navigating his boat around the city. Every time he thinks he’s finally about to leave, another canal appears and confuses him even more.
He’s about to give up and throw himself overboard when he comes up to a little bridge. The fish can have him, he doesn’t care anym–
A figure jumps from the bridge ahead and lands in his boat, startling him out of his thoughts. Gendry’s mouth hangs open in shock.
‘M’lady?’
The newcomer looks back at him with surprise. Holding onto her stomach to contain the wound, Arya Stark instantly replies, ‘don’t call me M’lady!’
Gendry’s mouth eventually shuts itself and he points at her wound. ‘What happened there?’
‘It’s a long story,’ his previously thought to be lost friend moans, ‘but someone tried to kill me.’
Gendry looks back up at the bridge behind them. ‘Is that someone a woman with short hair and a terrifying look on her face by any chance?’ he asks.
‘Yes,’ Arya looks at him. ‘How do you know?’
‘Because she’s following this boat,’ Gendry replies. ‘Take one of the oars and help me row. If she tries to jump onto this boat, I’ll smack her with an oar.’
Arya moves towards him as he releases his grip on one of the oars. He holds the other one in both hands, watching and waiting.
++
Eventually he gets his chance. The crazy lady starts running and leaps off the road to land in the boat. Gendry goes to hit her in the head with his oar, but before he can do so, Arya sinks her blade into her would-be assassin’s stomach. Gendry hits her in the face with his oar a moment later and she is knocked unconscious into the water. He watches as she sinks into the water depths, blood mingling with the salty sea.
‘Should we…’ he turns and looks at Arya.
‘No,’ she shakes her head. ‘She’s a Faceless Man.’
‘Alright,’ Gendry says. They continue rowing along the canals in silence for a few minutes until he speaks again. ‘You wouldn’t happen to know how to get out of this city would you?’
Arya rolls her eyes. ‘I’ve already booked passage on a ship. It leaves tomorrow morning. You can come with me.’
‘Thank Gods,’ Gendry blurts out.
++
Arya tries to convince him not to do it. She tells him that even something as weathered as his boat will still fetch them some coin. She tells him he’s overreacting a little bit.
Gendry is unmoved.
Eventually they find an open space where they drag the boat to shore before setting it alight. Gendry watches as the flames soar higher and higher, the smile on his face growing with every passing minute.
Eventually Arya has enough and turns around. ‘Come on,’ she says, ‘let’s find that ship and go home.’
Home. Gendry likes the sound of that.
‘And stop smiling like that,’ Arya calls out as she walks ahead of him. ‘You look like Thoros and it’s creepy.’