The Dance of the Ocean and Moon [Book One]

Chapter One | Brienne

BRIENNE

"Podrick, you have to learn to keep up," Brienne shouted over her shoulder. "I am, I am," he said as he pressed his heels into his horse's side to close the distance, "I'm just tired." Once he had caught up to Brienne she shook her head, "We're still two day's ride from Castle Black and have a lot more ground to cover. If you keep slowing us down like this, it will take three days or maybe more. I, for one, am tired of sleeping in ditches every night. So, keep up the pace."

"Sorry milady," he responded after yawning. Brienne shook her head again and turned her gaze back to the road. She was anxious to return to Castle Black, she hated to be away from Sansa for so long. Sansa and her older bastard brother had sent her on a mission to talk to her uncle, Brynden Tully (more commonly known as the Blackfish), for help in the Stark's affairs. Not only that, but she had been asked to recruit more men for the Night's Watch on their way. They had been extremely unsuccessful-almost killed actually-in their quest to do so. She thought it a waste of time; but her lady commanded her, so she did.

The last lady that she was sworn to was Sansa's mother, Catelyn Stark. And upon similar events when Brienne was sent away, her lady was murdered. There was nothing Brienne could have done to stop it. Nothing unless she had been there to protect her. But this time was different, Sansa had her bastard half-brother, Jon Snow; that is the only reason she was able to go through with leaving her new lady in the north without her own protection for the time being. Her brother and the entire Night's Watch would keep her safe.

Hopefully.

Brienne couldn't bear the thought of losing another lord or lady. Her whole life's aspiration was to fight for someone that she believed in. After the death of Renly Baratheon, there was no apparent honorable leader left in the Seven Kingdoms. No one except those in House Stark which she had met, Catelyn especially. And now only Sansa and her bastard brother were left. Arya was out there, but she was less than keen on being a lady or in charge of anything but her own life; Brienne figured that counted her out.

It had been two weeks since she and Podrick, her so-called squire, left Castle Black seeking the help of the Blackfish, who had fallen pawn to the Lannister regime and was ultimately killed. The Seven Kingdoms were in upheaval, fighting over any and everything these days; especially now that there were at least three kingdoms in open rebellion against the Crown. It was impossible to tell who was friend or foe since alliances changed like the direction of the winds. The roads were dangerous. But even more dangerous still, was the threat from beyond the wall.

The Night's Watch was established when the rulers of the Old World built the Wall. The Wall was built to protect the kingdoms from the dangers of The Others. For centuries, The Others have been gone, fallen into myth and legend, and the Wildlings-those unfortunate enough to be established on the other side of the Wall when it was constructed-have hardly been a credible threat. But now the Night's Watch joined forces with the Wildlings because the Others have returned.

Brienne wasn't sure if she really believed that or not; it all sounded like hocus pocus swathed in Wildlings who claimed to have seen an army of the dead in order to spread fear and get themselves south of the Wall. She didn't think they would respect their bargain with Jon Snow to keep peace, and were lying about The Others. But it wasn't her place to decide. Her job was to protect her lady. And if her lady commanded her to seek out new recruits to protect the Wall for "the Long Night," then that is what she would do.

As she gazed down the road ahead of her, a slight motion caught her eye. She snapped to attention and immediately focused on the movement. It was a crinkled brown leaf that had detached from a tree and was floating to the ground. She took in a breath of air and released it slowly. After what had happened two days before, she was on edge. People were getting less friendly every single day. And winter was coming. Soon. The days were getting colder and the plants were dying.