Running

Chapter Six

Arthur watched Jaime getting pulled away, heavy hearted. When Edrick had spied Jaime in the inn, he'd recruited Arthur to take Jaime somewhere where he was unsuspecting and then Edrick would pick him up the next day. Arthur had done it because of the money. There was 500 gold dragons for Jaime's capture and Edrick had promised Arthur a third of it. That was more money than he had ever had in his life. It would help his daughter.
At first he'd taken the Kingslayer for everything everyone said him to be - arrogant, vain, not honourable. He believed all the stories. But once he'd taken the man, broken and lonely, under his care, he'd seen a completely different side to the notorious Kingslayer. He'd been kind and grateful. Which made what had just happened all the much more unbearable. That was when Elena came out.
"Papa, where's Darion gone?" Arthur wasn't sure what to say. He didn't want to tell her he was really a Lannister. Elena had come in with gossip about Jaime's escape yesterday. He didn't want to fuel it and tell her that she'd actually met the man.
"Something came up. Darion had to leave."
"Oh, OK. I liked him."
"I know you did."
I liked him too, was his final thought before he came away from the door and got back to work.

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Jaime grew wearier with each step. They had been on the road for almost a day and had only stopped twice for short periods of time. Jaime had walked the entire thing. The bag had remained on his head apart from when water was tipped into his mouth, but even then it never came over his eyes. He was always left blind as to where they were going. He asked the question though.
"Where is it you're taking me?" He was left with silence, laughter or a slap to the face. He had an idea. Either Daenerys or Jon Snow who he knew was ruling in the North. Along with Sansa, the girl whom he had sworn her mother he would find and protect.
The rope around his waist jerked at him every time he slowed and he was tugged forwards. Edrick would deliberately tease him at times by slowing the horse down so Jaime stopped then starting again unexpectedly which made the Kingslayer stumble.

"We need to stop soon," Andrey said to Edrick out of Lannister's earshot. He knew the Kingslayer would be listening to every word he could.
"Why? We still have a couple of hours of light left. It will take us another three days to get there on foot."
"Why not give him a horse? It will make this quicker?"
"Give Jaime Lannister a horse? Are you mad? Even chained up and with one hand he can outride us all. No. He walks. But as soon as we find somewhere suitable, we'll stop for the night. We can't have him dying under our watch." 
"OK."

And that they did. They found a spot, surrounded by trees.
"We'll camp here!" Jaime heard Edrick shout. The rope was untied from the saddle and he was pulled away from the horses. He was forced into a sitting position. He was leaning against a tree. He knew that. He felt his stomach constricted as thick rope was wrapped around his body and the tree, binding him to it. He heard the sound of logs been thrown on a pile and soon enough, the crackling of a fire. Hopefully that meant he could get some warmth. But he didn't know if these men were willing enough to share with the prisoner. They had him where they could still see him and watch him, but not hear anything of what they said. Of course, they always had a guard on him who sat opposite him. Jaime knew this so he called out to Andrey, who was currently watching him. Jaime was always told who the guard was at that point. Jaime had found Andrey to be more reasonable than Edrick.
"Andrey."
"What?" The man replied gruffly.
"Could I get a drink? Something to eat? Please."
"I'll see what I can do." Andrey walked away. Jaime relaxed slightly. The man was OK Jaime thought despite the fact he was one of the group holding him captive.
Jaime soon heard footsteps approach him and then felt a hand on his shoulder. He felt the material bag slide up his face, but he still couldn't see. Someone started feeding him. It was embarrassing that he couldn't do anything himself, but that was what came with being a high value prisoner. He wasn't trusted whatsoever. Then the skin of water was raised to his lips and he gulped from it gratefully. The men left and the hood was lowered again and he was left alone.
He sighed. It was inevitable that he would be caught and brought to someone else for justice. Or, the justice that someone else thought he deserved at least. He should have fled to Essos. At least people wouldn't know who he was there.
But now here he was - tied to a tree with a bag over his head, going to be judged by someone else. He'd had little hope when his brother had released him. Tyrion should have got him passage somewhere else. The North was always going to be too dangerous. But what could he do about it now? Nothing.