Seven Dreams One Kingdom

11-Brienne

Brienne was glad she and Pod had sailed to The Crag. She'd had enough of riding through the snow and ice, at least winter hadn't settled in the Westerlands and Riverlands, although from the feel of the chill in the air, it wouldn't be long before the first flurries of winter arrived. The ship had taken a fortnight to reach The Crag and then they had ridden east for another fortnight to Riverrun. Once back on dry land, Brienne told Pod the story Sansa had instructed them to spread. From then on, in every inn they stayed at, they regaled the tale of the Lord Commander who had risen from the dead. What did surprise Brienne was that the story of the dead Lord Commander of the Night's Watch was already rumoured, therefore when Brienne and Pod spoke of it, they already had quite an audience, wanting to know whether it was true or not. She just hoped Ser Jaime would hear the entire fable before she left Riverrun.

Eventually Brienne and Pod arrived at the ancestral home of the Tully's, where, as Sansa had predicted, they found rows and rows of perfectly red tents pitched up where Jaime's Lannister forces and a scattering of the less impressive looking Frey army had laid siege to the castle. The Red Fork River, a dominant feature overlooking the landscape as it split off forming a tributary called Tumblestone.

"Looks like a siege, my lady." Pod stated the obvious while Brienne tried her best not to roll her eyes.

"You have a keen military mind, Podrick." Brienne couldn't hide the sarcasm from her voice, although it held no malicious intent, after all Pod was still only a squire. Off in the distance, Brienne was distracted by the sight of Ser Jaime riding a white horse among his men.

"My lady. My lady." Pod called out as four Lannister soldiers encircled them.

"Who goes there? State your business!" one of the Lannister soldiers demanded.

"My name is Brienne of Tarth. Please inform Ser Jaime Lannister I've come to speak with him. Tell him I have his sword." Brienne replied.

The soldiers escorted them to the largest red tent in the field, passing through rows of red tents, the Lannister sigil atop, blowing in the wind, men sharpening their swords, while others marched through the mud. Brienne was escorted inside the tent, while Pod was forced to wait outside.

Jaime stood opposite Brienne, he looked far more like the handsome soldier she knew than the man who nearly died in her arms in a bath.

"Ser Jaime." Brienne bowed her head.

"How can I help you, Lady Brienne?" Jaime asked.

"Lady Sansa Stark sent me." Brienne replied.

"I never thought you'd find her. I just assumed Sansa was dead." Jaime looked surprised.

"Why would you assume that?" Brienne frowned.

"In my experience, girls like her don't live very long." Jaime replied.

"I don't think you know many girls like her." Brienne realised this was going to be a much more difficult conversation than she'd expected, Jaime was back under the clutches of Cersei.

"Well, I'm proud of you. I am. You fulfilled your oath to Catelyn Stark against all odds." he complimented her. Her eyes dropped, trying not to blush. Jaime walked around the table and came to a stop on Brienne's other side. "Of course my sister wants Sansa dead. The girl is still a suspect in Joffrey's murder, so there is that complication." Brienne couldn't make out whether it was a threat or not. "What the hell are you doing here?" he asked.

"I've come with some information for you, from Lady Sansa."

"Go on." Jaime sat down.

"Lady Sansa desires to take her ancestral seat back from the Boltons and assume her rightful position as Lady of Winterfell." Brienne started.