The invitation to stay, such as it was, left him surprised. Gendry did not reckon his company to desirable to most, much less to her in particular. It unbalanced him and at first, he only nodded dumbly as he fell into step with her. It was a relief, at least, that she gave him something to talk about. Otherwise he could think of no other use for his tongue.

"The forge?" he repeated dumbly. He took a moment to collect his wits again. "Well. It's no easy thing learning to work the forge, m'lady." Absently, he defaulted to a title more easily remembered by him. "I've been apprenticed with Master Mott for ten years, but I still didn't know everything. I was only just learning swords when he sent me away. If I'd stayed around, he might have taught me to work Valyrian steel."