The camp bustles with noise, the sound of swords sharpened atop stone chisels intertwine with that of blades clashing during spars between northmen. My younger brother remains at the Crag, the nurse from Volantis glued close to his side. I lower myself into a seat only a few paces from where our prisoner lays, pulling a pile of ripped tunics into my lap and beginning to sew and mend them.
I watch the Lannister knight as he lays in the mud of his cell, exhaustion clear across his face. Something about him intrigues me, makes me wonder if the face below the filth is truly as handsome as they say. His eyes shift around to see mine already on him, his head tilts to the side as he holds my gaze. The familiar smug smile does not come to pass as our eyes meet, a feeling of intensity instead travels through our gaze.
"Lady Alysanne." A voice says beside me, I pull my eyes away from Jaime and turn to the bannerman of the north. "Lady Catelyn calls for you." I nod and set the clothes down, looking back to Jaime once more before heading to my
mother.
"Alysanne." She says as I enter the tent, waving me over to sit beside her. "I am going to ask you to help me with something that will come with betrayal to your brother." She glances to Brienne who stands close to the door, listening for footsteps outside.
"What is it?" I ask her, my eyes full of confusion.
"Tomorrow night, we are going to set Jaime Lannister free, and you and Brienne are going to take him back to King's Landing." Shock covers my face as I take in her words.
"Why?" She lets out a breath.
"Jaime Lannister will release your sisters to us as thanks to House Stark for sparing his life." I take a moment to consider her plan, to consider the risks that come along with it. Betrayal of my little brother's trust, but for the sake of my sisters' lives?
"Tomorrow night, then."
...
My mother's words from this morning ring through my mind as I walk through the camp, darkness of the night shrouding the tents. Few still roam outside, most have taken to finding sleep within their beds. I head towards the cell where Jaime lays, the man standing guard outside looks to me.
"Some privacy, please." I quietly say to him, he nods and backs away from the entrance. I walk inside, carrying the pale of water and a damp rag in my hands.
"Lady Alysanne Stark." Jaime finally says, I set the pale down and fold my hands, smiling to him.
"Ser Jaime Lannister." I watch him carefully as he takes me in from where I stand.
"What brings you into my home today?" I bend down to his height and pick up the rag from within the pale, ringing out the extra water.
"Well, this is not exactly fair treatment of a knight, is it?" I raise my hand and begin to gently drag the cloth across his forehead, he watches me carefully as I wipe the mud from his face.
"Perhaps for that of a Kingslayer." I meet his eyes as I continue to clean the filth from his face.
"You brought an end to the Mad King, that is enough reason to break an oath in my eyes." A small smile creeps across his face, just barely able to be seen.
"You may be the only one, Lady Alysanne." His face begins to become clear to me as I clean away the mud, the stories ringing true. "You are not afraid of showing me such kindness in this camp?" I smile at him.
"Robb is my little brother, you think he will kill me for wiping mud from a man's face? And the northmen would not dare disrespect me while my brother reigns as King of the North, as the white wolf." I lift his hands next, rolling his sleeves back as far as they go and begin to clean them.
"Why do this? Why help me when my family is the enemy?" I move to the next hand, Jaime carefully watches my every move.
"I believe we can choose our own paths, despite the mistakes of our families. Perhaps there is still time for you to decide what you believe is right or wrong." He does not say a word, only holds my eyes with an intensity like before. I silently stand and life the pale of water, carefully dumping it on his hair to avoid is eyes. The filth washes away, revealing its golden color. I stand and take a step back, admiring the clean face of the handsome Lannister before me.
"Thank you, Lady Stark." I smile at him, nodding once before walking back to my tent.
...
I approach as my mother breaks the chains from Jaime's shackles, my cloak drawn tight against my shoulders with another in hand. My mother looks to me as I arrive, then back to Jaime.
"Brienne and my daughter will accompany you there." Mother says, I drape the cloak across Jaime and pull the hood over his head. My mother looks to Brienne once more.
"She will be safe." Brienne tells her, I smile to my mother.
"Quickly now." I say, ushering Jaime and Brienne through the camp. I weave through the few soldiers that patrol at these hours until we arrive at the stables, only two stand ready to leave. Brienne pulls herself onto one, I lead Jaime to the other. I mount first, looking back to the Knight stood beside me. "Come on."
I offer my hand to him and he takes it, pulling himself up behind me. His chest presses against my back, his arms wrapping themselves around my waist. I push down the sudden rush of feelings at the warmth of him against me and take off on the horse, disappearing into the woods beyond the camp.
"There is a boat waiting for us on the shoreline." I tell him, careful to remain close to Brienne as her horse barrels through the woods. I feel Jaime flatten his palm against my stomach, my heart begins to race.
"Thank you, Alysanne."
YOU ARE READING
Hand of the Queen
Fanfiction"Remember, your grace. The city will turn against Cersei, they will surrender if they know they are defeated. When you hear the bells ring, stand down." Tyrion says, Daenerys meets my eyes. The memory of Missandei and Edlin fill my mind as the words...
