I Know You, I Walked With You Once Upon A Dream

I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream

Lord Gendry Baratheon is hunting in the outskirts of Storm’s End when he runs into a bandit, who he soon discovers to be his lost love, Arya Stark of Winterfell 

"They hacked the Maiden's breasts off too, though those were only wood," he told them. "And the eyes, the eyes were jet and lapis and mother-of-pearl, they pried them out with their knives. May the Mother have mercy on them all." "Whose work was this?" said Lem Lemoncloak. "Mummers?" "No," the old man said. "Northmen, they were. Savages who worship trees. They wanted the Kingslayer, they said." Arya heard him, and chewed her lip. She could feel Gendry looking at her. It made her angry and ashamed. -ASOS Arya IV

“(…)This place was put to the torch a long time ago.” “Who did it, then?” asked Gendry. “Hoster Tully.” Notch was a stooped thin grey-haired man, born in these parts. “This was Lord Goodbrook’s village. When Riverrun declared for Robert, Goodbrook stayed loyal to the king, so Lord Tully came down on him with fire and sword. After the Trident, Goodbrook’s son made his peace with Robert and Lord Hoster, but that didn’t help the dead none.” A silence fell. Gendry gave Arya a queer look, then turned away to brush his horse. -ASOS Arya VIII

The first time i read these chapters i felt like Gendry is kind of blame Arya for those cruel behaviors because she is a Stark and a half Tully. But then i realized whenever he is annoyed for something Arya describes his situation very clear.

“He always looked pained when he tried to think, like it hurt him something fierce.” Or “Gendry got that stubborn look on his face(..)”

But most of the time Gendry’s fury comes from his voice but he never talked about those cruel scenes with Arya. And now i think the reason he gave that looks to Arya is because he knows Arya well and thinking like “What kind of lord’s daughter is she?” Because he saw her with helping people, behave him as her equal, try to save people from fire etc. He gave this look not because of angry with her but because he recognizes how different her from other highborns.

“I trust my father, and I trust my mules. I won't fall.”

i was checking Arya and Jaqen(aegon which i am not sure but interesting) theories and i saw this and i think i need this delusional on my life for my problems :D

I have read this passage many times over the years and I didn’t notice that both, Gendry and Willows, are stand-ins for other characters here:

Gendry was the closest thing to a man grown, but it was Willow shouting all the orders, as if she were a queen in her own castle and the other children were no more than servants. - Brienne, A Feast for Crows

I mean, it’s obvious that Willow is Arya. It has been brought up many times by the readers. It’s often mentioned when people want to emphasize Arya’s leadership skills. It’s also one of the instances of the foreshadowing of Arya’s future as a queen of sorts. Some shippers also consider it a foreshadowing of Arya’s relationship with Gendry. Perhaps that’s why I haven’t noticed it before: both of them are playing someone else’s roles here. Gendry is not just being himself nor symbolizing his future. Just like Willow is not meant to be seen here just her. Gendry is the closest thing to a man and Willow is the closest thing to a queen. They are not themselves, both of them. A man is naturally Jaqen ( Aegon ) and Willow is Arya, his future queen.

It’s yet another moment of the foreshadowing of Arya’s and Jaqen’s future and yet another one that hints at her dominance over him.

“No hammerblow to the heart could have felled her half so hard.”

“The hammer was like part of his arm. She watched the play of muscles in his chest and listened to the steel music he made.” -A Clash of Kings - Arya IX

“As the swish of oars faded, she could almost hear the beating of her heart. Suddenly she was somewhere else . . . back in Harrenhal with Gendry.” -A Feast for Crows - Arya I

She dreamed of Gendry because her heart’s beats recalled Gendry’s hammer beats, the music he made with steel. And when Brienne first saw Gendry she thought he is Renly and get excited and characterized her feelings with “hammerblow” image. Even she didn’t know he is a blacksmith at this point. It is something Arya can say about Gendry actually :)

“… and she could ride with Gendry and be an outlaw, like Wenda the White Fawn in the songs.”