Bab 53: Chapter 53

Joanna hugged Arya. She hugged her tighter than ever. "Are you sure you don't want to say farewell to mother or father?"

"No, they would know what we have planned."

Joanna whispered in her ear, "There is still time. This is madness."

Arya shook her head, "It is not. I am sorry I cannot help you win Stannis but I know you will be queen." Her younger sister smiled and kissed her cheek.

"Arya don't." Joanna whispered hurriedly. "What about mother, father, our brothers? We would never see you if you left for Braavos.

Her little sister's eyes were sad. "We could never rule. We would be miserable. Gendry does not want to rule. He will be terrible. He does not understand what it means to watch over armies and Lords. I don't like being a lady. I love him and we'll be happy in Braavos. Give the letter to mother only when three days have passed. I love you all and once time has passed we will come back and they will forgive me. I know they will but now we have to go. I will write to you Joanna but you must swear to never let them know where we are, not until I tell you so." Arya did not cry she hugged her once more.

Gendry came back dressed as a peasant. "You must do it now." Joanna grabbed the knife and cut her sister's long hair. Joanna almost cried again. She helped Arya dress like a servant boy.

"Goodbye my queen." Arya kissed her cheek and mounted her mare.

Prince Gendry kissed her hands. "Thank you Lady Joanna." The prince mounted the other horse. Nymeria and Lady played around.

Arya put on a helmet and off they went. Joanna saw as Nymeria ran after the horses.

The young woman did not cry. This was Arya's choice not hers. Joanna only kept quiet because Arya swore she would leave for the North, beyond the Wall if she ever said anything. Joanna helped them and her heart did somersaults when she realized she could be queen. The young woman felt terrible; this was not about her it was about Arya and Gendry running away from Westeros. She would remain quiet and wait. She would not answer anything until the third day when she would give mother Arya's letter.

Joanna slipped back into the tent she shared with Arya. She heard the first sounds of movement early in the camp. The were to ride for King's Landing immediately. They had a numerous host and were to be in the capital in less than two months. They needed to get a good pace if they were to travel and arrive to the capital in that time.

She woke up and dressed. the girl was pale and reported to the main field where her family break fasted. Mother and father were seated with Rickon and Bran. Grandfather was there as well. She sat by him and made small conversation with the older man. Mother and father smiled at her and expected Arya and prince Gendry to arrive shortly after.

"How was your sleep sweetling?"

"I slept well mother, thanks for asking" Joanna replied and looked at the black bacon in front of her. She was not hungry at all.

Rickon grabbed father's beard and tugged hard. She smiled when father tickled her little brother. "Where is Arya?"

Joanna remained quiet for a few seconds, "Kitten, where is your sister?" Father asked once more.

Joanna looked up from her plate and spoke clearly. "She ran away with the prince."

Her mother gasped while her father frowned. Grandfather looked at her with suspicious eyes. "Where did your foolish sister go Joanna?"

She looked at her parents and then her grandfather, "I do not know."

"You do, you do know child. Answer me now." Grandfather raised his voice.

Father frowned and handed Rickon to mother. "That will be enough lord Lannister."

"Joanna, do you know where your sister is?" father asked once more.

"I don't. She ran away. She does not want to be here nor does Gendry. They ran away." She replied pitifully.

Father shook his head in disappointment and then looked at grandfather. "Do I count with your men lord Lannister?"

"You do." Grandfather frowned at mother and then at her.

"Stay with your mother and siblings." Father said and then left with the older man.

"Osha, take Bran and Rickon back to their tent." Mother said with harsh tones.

"Yes m'lady." The wildlings said

"Mother, I wish to stay with you." Bran said with a small pout.

Lady Stark was on her feet and handed Rickon to the servant. "Do as I say darling. I have to speak with your sister."

Bran and her understood the tone and obeyed at once. Mother was angry; very angry. The last time she had heard such tones from her was when Robb and Jon foolishly lost the harvest for the town and father had to stop sending supplies to the wall for six months.

"Is this what you and your sister concocted all these months." Mother pulled her up from her chair and shook her.

"Answer me now." mother hissed lowly.

"Yes." Joanna replied with downcast eyes.

"Why? Are you so bitter that you will not be queen that you convinced your sister to act so foolishly, to shame our name in such a fashion?" Mother spat with anger and disappointment.

The young woman looked up and shook her head, "No, I tried to convince her not to. I don't love Gendry. I could never do that. Mother, she was hell-bent into escaping with the prince."

"You know where they are. Answer me, where are they?"

"I do not know." The young woman refused to speak up.

Her mother looked at her for a while as if waiting for her to rat her sister.

"Very well. They must not have gone far. We are near Riverrun and your brother of course will lend some of his men for the search. Come along you and I will stay together until your sister and the prince are found."

Joanna followed her and noticed they were going to her tent. "Where are we going?"

"Do not play stupid. I will ransack this place. Arya must have left something for you to hold. You two planned this ruse for months. She would not leave her family without a goodbye." Cersei looked at her once more. Joanna stayed still, and lowered her gaze, lest her mother noticed the slight fear in her eyes.

Lady Stark turned the tent upside down. She tore around her trunks, unmade the furs and the straw beddings but she did not find the letter. Arya and her thought about that and they hid the letter in Rickon's trunk lining. Mother asked her time and time again. She guilted her to the point where Joanna cried freely but the girl did not speak a word.

Father and grandfather returned in the late hours of the afternoon. "We ride for Riverrun until Arya and prince Gendry are found." Father looked at her.

"Kitten, please explain how did this happen?" Joanna cried and hugged him.

"Arya is fine. They are fine. That is all I can tell you father." Father pulled her hair back

"You must tell us where they are at once. Gendry has a duty to the crown and the people. We fought a war to put him in the throne. Sweetling, this is not about betraying your sister. This is about honor; your sister and Gendry are to seat on the throne and rule us." Father explained carefully.

Mother and grandfather sported twin frowns. "I can't." Joanna said helplessly, wondering not for the first time whether she was helping Arya or herself with her silence. She shook her head and lowered her face.

"Ned, she will not say anything on the matter." Mother spoke to father.

"Cersei, your father and I searched for them as did Tommen with his men. There is no trace of them. We will search again tomorrow but there will be no point if we do not find them by tomorrow night." Father said wearily.

"Our host is too big. What will we do?" Cersei asked.

"I will send my men to the Westerlands. I will leave a fifteen men with you and turn back to the Riverlands. I suggest you send ravens to Baratheon; it is best he learns the news from you than from anyone else." Grandfather commented and left the tent.

Father looked at her. "What happened to your tent sweetling?"

"Nothing that cannot be fixed. Joanna cannot stay alone. She will stay with Bran. Osha will attend them." Mother said with a calm voice. Joanna understood she was dismissed from her own tent.

Joanna could not sleep that night, nor the next. She was upset all the way back to Riverrun and welcomed Tommen's open arms.

"What did they do?" Her twin brother whispered while hugging her.

She kissed his cheek. "I have a letter for them."

"Jo." Tommen shook his head.

It was the third night and it was time. Mother unwittingly facilitated her when she placed her with Bran and Osha. As it happened Rickon's luggage stayed in Bran's tent. Joanna held the letter inside her dress, on her bodice. Father sent the ravens the night before. They were to stay in Riverrun until there was an answer from lord Baratheon.

Joanna retired to her rooms for a while until a maid called her to dinner. She was surprised to see grandfather in the castle. He did not have any more pressing matters as there would not be any wedding. Cassana and Tommen sat as hosts.

She decided to give mother the letter Arya wrote. "She said to give it to you tonight."

"Read it." Father said with some anger.

"Dear mother and father. I love you but I cannot stay. I cannot rule and neither can Gendry. Do not fault Joanna. She tried to dissuade me but I threatened to leave beyond the Wall and never write. I will write in a few months; when you have forgiven us. I love you all and I am sorry I could not be a better daughter but father you always said to be happy. Mother try to understand." Joanna read.

Mother and father looked stoic but she could tell mother was affected. "Prince Gendry wrote something for his uncle as well." That was a surprise to her.

"Read it as well Joanna." Grandfather commanded and not even father refused.

"Uncle, I cannot rule, we know that Westeros needs you. King Robert made a mistake. He should have picked Edric as uncle Renly wanted. I never wanted to rule and neither does Arya. Do not blame her. I love her and she might as well be my wife. We have laid together and will run away. Uncle I have loved you like a father and wish you will forgive me someday. My beloved believes you will. You are what the kingdom needs. You are to rule." Joanna blushed some when she read the part about their activities.

Father was angry. He stormed out of the dining room.

"What shall we do now Grandfather?" Tommen asked in a composed voice.

"We will meet with Baratheon. Your father and I will set to King's Landing at once." Grandfather ate as if nothing happened. Mother frowned but remained in the dining room.

"My uncle will fix this I am sure. Gendry will come back." Cassana said with a hopeful voice.

Joanna knew they would not come back. Arya and Gendry were determined to sail fro Braavos and it would be complicated to reach them once they for the free cities. Father was correct. They were gone.

She retired to her quarters and was surprised when mother knocked on her door. She wore her sleeping gown and slept with her for the time.

"I am not happy with you or your sister. You must tell me where they are. It will so much easier to find them if you did sweetling. Your father and mine are very cross with Arya at the moment. They have sent men to search after them.

Joanna was silent, "They sailed for the free cities. They did, they must have. Tell me at once sweetheart." Cersei cajoled once more.

The young woman was silent and remained quiet. Mother stayed with her and held her that night. Joanna did not feel conflicted however. She was selfish but there was a speck of true in what both Arya and Gendry wrote. They were not fit to rule. Stannis Baratheon was.

Joanna saw father and grandfather ride to Kings Landing that same morning and saw them come back a fortnight later, only this time there were Baratheon banners with them.

Cassana, mother and her sat in the sewing rooms when a maiden told them that the lords expected them in the small rooms designed for strategies.

They made their way to said rooms. Joanna entered and saw father, lord Baratheon, grandfather and Tommen frowning deeply.