Lady of the Knight

Chapter 13 - Bathhouse

After a delicious dinner together in the bustling dining hall we had the honour of being shown to our quarters by Queen Sansa herself. When we entered we saw a large double bed in the centre of the back wall with fur covers on, to the left of that was a lit fireplace. There was also a chest at the foot of the bed, a small round table with two chairs and a writing desk at the window.
"I'm afraid these are the only quarters we have available at the moment" Sansa said apologetically.
"It's lovely!" I said looking around.
"It's...cosy" Brienne said, a little perturbed by the double bed.
"There are furs and coats in the chest there. We also have a bathhouse now which you're welcome to use" Sansa informed us.
I'd already given Brienne her shawl back so I rummaged through the chest and pulled out a white fur blanket and wrapped it around me.
"May I speak with you in private please, Sansa?" Brienne said, turning to the Queen.
"Of course" and they both left the room.
"Hmm wonder what that's about?" I pondered.
I hopped onto the bed with the shawl still around me and drifted off to sleep, watching the snow fall outside.

I don't know how long I must have slept for but when I woke up it was dark outside and the snow had stopped. I rubbed my eyes and looked around the room, Brienne hadn't returned yet.
"Surely she can't still be with Sansa?"
I left a note telling her I had gone to the bathhouse. We had been travelling for a while now and I still had patches of dried blood on me so I needed a wash!
The heat was overwhelming when I entered the bathhouse, it was dimly lit and steam lingered in the air slightly obscuring my view. The gentle sound of trickling water was soothing and blocked out the noises from the hustle and bustle outside. I made my way over to the square bathing area and saw none other than Brienne. Arms stretched out, head back and eyes closed with a blissful look on her face.
"Hi" I said.
Her eyes flew open, she let out a loud gasp and slipped down causing an almighty splash. She clammed up, ducking further beneath the water and wrapping her arms around her legs.
"Its OK, I can't see anything" I said, "but do you mind if I join you?"
She looked away while I undressed. It was the most nervous and sheepish I'd ever seen her, a far cry from the stoic knight I saw addressing the Queen earlier.
The water was just right, not too hot and not too cold with pink rose petals floating on the surface. It was quite deep too so Brienne could only see me from my shoulders. My aching muscles melted as I dipped myself in.
"Gods, this is heavenly!" I said sinking further down.
Brienne was still cradling her legs, her shoulders and the tops of her knees just visible. Her eyes kept flickering over to me but didn't remain there for more than a second.
"Relax Bri, it's just you and me here".
After a little hesitation she let go and turned to face me properly. My eyes wandered from her slender neck to her delicate collarbones, she may not see herself as feminine but underneath that armour there was a beautiful, graceful body that I longed to hold.
"Stop staring" she said bluntly.
"I'm not!"
"You are".
"Well...so what if I am?"
"You shouldn't stare at a beast like me" she said, looking away.
"What? You're not a beast! Who the hell told you that?"
She didn't answer.
There was a long pause while I thought of something to talk about.
"Let's play a game" I suggested.
"A game?"
"Yeah I want to get to know you more. So let's play...'Two Lies and a Truth'".
"What's that?"
"You tell me three things about you, two lies and something that's true and I have to guess which one is the truth".
"OK then. You first..." she seemed to be relaxing now and was keen to play.
"Hmm...I stole an emerald necklace then accidentally dropped it in the river. I fell into a barrel of fish and couldn't get the smell off me for a week. I've broken out of prison barracks".
She giggled at each statement then put her finger to her lips pondering.
"Well you can be clumsy so I would say the necklace" she was so sure in her answer.
"Nope! It was the prison barracks. Garrin paid one of the guards to put me in there one time when I was misbehaving, to teach me a lesson. I was only six so I managed to squeeze my tiny body through the bars and run. He chased me all over town!"
She giggled like she was holding back on a bigger laugh but it was nice to see her smiling.
"Your turn!"
"Oh right um...I've danced with a King, I've petted a dragon and I've punched a White Walker".
"Hmm I have seen you punch a dire wolf and that was something! So I would say the White Walker".
"Wrong! I've danced with a King, Renley Baratheon".
"No way! But...Renley was never King was he?"
"He was a King to me" she said solemnly, staring at the water like she could see him there.
"Brie?"
"Sorry. It's just he was one of the few people that has ever shown me kindness and courtesy. He would have been a great King".
"Did you...feel something for him?" the affectionate way she spoke of Renley prompted me to ask.
She nodded, "but I wasn't his type".
"Oh..." and I realised what she meant.
"I've only ever loved two people before but both of them are dead now".
"I'm sorry Brie".
"I miss them so much" she said wiping away a few tears, "I don't deserve to be loved. I have the kiss of death".
I swam over to her and held her shoulders as she began to cry more.
"Don't say that. Renley would want you to be happy, to find someone who loves you just as much if not more than you love them" I held the side of her face, "you are incredible Brienne of Tarth and I wish you could see yourself the way I do".
Her face was stained with tears but she had stopped crying, her eyes scanned my face in a mixture of hesitancy and desire. My heart was beating so fast that I swear she could hear it too. Our faces got closer and closer...our eyes closed...and our lips met. Butterflies went wild in my stomach and my chest filled with warmth. It was the most tender and perfect kiss I'd ever had. But it only lasted a few seconds before she abruptly pulled away.
"No. I can't do this. I'm sorry" and she quickly swam to the edge, grabbed a towel to wrap herself up with and climbed out.
"Brienne! Wait!" I called after her but she disappeared into the steam.
"Fuck!" I cursed to myself.