He should be married already. No one ever talked about this with him. Gendry had started to think of his possibilites and even had taken the matter to his father's consideration, but Robert had dismissed him, saying that that wasn't important for now.
He had came to three names. All of them from important houses. As a prince, he had no ambitions of marrying for love, but he would find a good match, for the sake of the kingdom.
Margaery Tyrell would bring Highgarden. Arianne Martell, Dorne. Sansa Stark, the North. All good matches. All good aliances.
Maybe we could have all three... If I marry Dorne, Joffrey could marry Highgarden. And Myrcella could be betrothed to Bran Stark... They have the same age... Though I don't know if the Tyrells would accept Joffrey. He might a prince, but he won't be king. He cannot be king, I'll put a son in this world as soon as I can to end Joffrey's pretension.
But he was the only that seemed to care. His father never talked about that, Sansa, despite all courtesies, had an obvious preference for Joffrey. Maybe they marry Joffrey to the North. I could marry Highgarden and Myrcella, Dorne. They have a little prince.
He didn't have enough courage to bring the subject up again, though. His father could end up liking his "plan". He didn't want to marry Dorne or Highgarden. He didn't want to marry anyone. Not to end up like Robert and Cersei, hating each other.
"Hey, I'm talking to you!"
He turned to see Arya behind him, arms crossed under her breasts, looking extremely annoyed.
She was four-and-ten now. Still trained her water dance every day and rode horses better than all women and some men. Was learning how to shoot a bow, despite not being very patient. Still wore breeches and tunics, though they wasn't her younger brother's clothes anymore. Her father had ordered new ones for her and even being pratic, they were still feminine. She still drawed attention, now for a different reason.
Men had started to look at her. Really look. Her Dancing Master had advised her to be careful and always pay attention to who was around, specially because she liked to practice bow and arrow alone. See with your eyes, he used to say.
Her father had asked her to stop wandering alone and days later, he saw himself volunteering to keep her company. Lord Stark approved, Arya, not so much. He was worried, though. Being seen always in the company of the younger Lady Stark could be a problem when his time to betroth came.
She pushed him lightly on the shoulder.
"Gendry, I am talking to you. What is wrong?"
"Nothing. I was... Political matters, that's all."
"And you're not even king yet... Tell me, have you chose a future queen?"
"I was just thinking about that. I came down to three names. Margaery Tyrell, Ariane Martell and your sister."
"Why these three?"
He unfolded a map of Westeros and showed to her.
"House Baratheon now controls King's Landing, Storm's End, our main territory, and Dragonstone. Through his marriage, my father brought Casterly Rock to march under our banners. Now, an aliance with the North, Dorne and Highgarden would be easy through a marriage."
"But you can't marry the three of them. So, what's your favorite?"
"I don't have one. I could marry any of them." And Joffrey could marry another and Myrcella the Martell prince or the Stark lord.
"Why do you have to set aliances with the other houses?"
He shrugged. "To increase our armies, to raise more money, to feed more people. To make a stronger kingdom. Think about this. If I marry Highgarden, Joffrey could marry the North and Myrcella, Dorne. We would have all the great houses under the crowned stag. One army. A real army united behind one leader. Like my father told me once." He closed his hand in a fist and looked at it for a moment.
"You forgot the Vale."
"The Vale forgot the kingdom. They lock themselves in their mountains and don't care about anyone else. But we can always forge an aliance with them marrying you to little Robert Arryn."
He said with a laugh and had to dodge a punch. Gendry tried to hold her hands in one of his and use his size to pin her against the wall, so he could win the fight, but as soon as his body pressed hers, she stopped fighting completely.
"What are you doing?", she whispered.
"We're fighting...?"
"We are being watched, stupid! Step back."
He did as she told and looked around. The few people around seemed completely innocent.
"Who's watching?"
She started walking and he followed. "That boy eating a cake, the septa with a book, the gardener. They are watching us. There is always someone watching us."
"Why?"
"Because you are the prince, of course." She smiled. "You care so much about making the kindom strong and forget that there are dangers here, close to you. See with your eyes, Gendry. Or stay close to me and I can see for you."
Gendry found himself liking that plan more than the others he had came up with.
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