𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐋 || 𝐉𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫

Chapter 17

The men on horseback sang loudly in the forest air as we trekked through the woods. They had tied all three of us onto the horses - Brienne on one and Jaime and I on another, back-to-back.

"I hope you're pleased. If you had armed me, they never would have taken us," Jaime grumbled to Brienne.

My long ebony hair brushed against Jaime's dirty blond locks as I turned my head to the side to listen to them bicker.

"You were armed when we were taken," Brienne shot back, her usual somber expression still plastered on her face.

"I was in chains if you recall," he said to her before tilting his head in my direction, "Our little match would have ended quite quick if my hands weren't bound,"

I snorted.

"All my life I've been hearing, "Jaime Lannister, what a brilliant swordsman." You were slower than I expected. And more predictable," I told him playfully.

"I've been sitting in a muddy pen wrapped in chains for the past year!" he complained.

I giggled.

"And I'm a woman. I was still beating you," I said between laughs.

"You were not beating me," he pouted.

"Maybe you were as good as people said...once. Or maybe people just love to overpraise a famous name." Brienne piped up, ending the banter between us.

Silence ensued then, the only sound were the horses hooves squelching along in the mud. My head bobbed up and down as they stepped into dips in the road, making me fall back into Jaime.

"Careful, Lady Joan. Don't want to get too close to the Kingslayer." he told me.

I could almost hear the smirk in his voice and I rolled my eyes at it.

"When we make camp tonight, it won't be safe for you," he spoke up suddenly and I focused my eyes forward as I listened to the sound of his voice.

"None of these fellows have ever seen a noblewoman," he continued, "You'd be wise to hold your tongue if they say something to you,"

"Would I?" I asked, arching my eyebrows defiantly even though he couldn't see me.

"They'll knock your teeth out," he said.

"You think I care about my teeth?" I shot back.

"No, I don't think you care about your teeth,"

I wouldn't show it, wouldn't tell him but I was frightened. Frightened of so many things in this instance. Frightened that I'd never see my family again, frightened of these strange men, and frightened of my feelings for him that wouldn't go away.

"If you fight them, they will kill you. Do you understand?" he asked me, his voice softer now than before, "I'm the prisoner of value, not you,"

A pang of hurt started in my chest but I took a deep breath before replying.

"Well, maybe, I'll just let them kill me and be done with it." I bit back, silencing him.

I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat as we rode the rest of the way without speaking to each other. What did I have to live for anyway? My father was dead and the rest of my family scattered across the world. I didn't even know if I'd ever see them again. And now, thanks to our kidnappers, I probably never would. One of the men leered back at me and I felt fear clench my heart.

I was on my own...and I was so scared.