A Shadow and a Wolf

Brienne II

They had left Casterly Rock less than a month ago. Their speed of travel had been much greater than the one they had when they had left King's Landing. There was no carriage with them this time, though carts followed them, carrying supplies, weapons, clothes, gold and silver for the campaign that announced itself. They were about five thousand men, most of them on feet. The Lannister cavalry was almost entirely already at Riverrun. This little troop that accompanied Lord Tyrion and Lady Sansa in the Riverlands wasn't much when compared to the army that was waiting for them before the seat of House Tully. They would reach Riverrun tomorrow. For Brienne, they weren't quick enough. They were lucky the rains didn't slow down their march, and they would need more luck to move from Riverrun to Winterfell quickly enough.

It had been a great shock for Brienne to learn that Arya Stark was still alive, but it had been horrible when she learned the Lady Arya was forced to marry Roose Bolton's son. Brienne had sworn to Lady Catelyn that she would protect her daughters and bring them back to safety. Brienne had succeeded with the Lady Sansa. Well, maybe she didn't have much to do. It was Ser Bronn who mostly saved her from Ser Dontos in King's Landing, and afterwards Brienne only had to serve as her guard. Sansa was safe at Casterly Rock and didn't really need any protection, but Brienne remained at her side all the same. She swore a vow to Lady Catelyn, and now she had a vow binding her to her daughter. She wouldn't leave her service.

Everything had changed when the news about Arya Stark reached them. Everyone assumed she was dead, and now all of a sudden she was alive. Brienne had sworn to Lady Catelyn to keep both her daughters safe, and not only one. When Lady Sansa told her about her sister, and about the horrible things Ramsay Bolton did to women, she had wanted to ride immediately to Winterfell and to rescue the other Stark girl. However, Podrick, the squire in Lord Tyrion's service and who she began to teach how to fight with a sword at Casterly Rock, reminded her she was bound to Lady Sansa's service, and that her chances to free Arya Stark alone were meager. In the end, after a great conflict with herself, Brienne had decided to remain at Lady Sansa's side. It didn't prove to be such a wrong choice since her husband decided to ride for the North. Brienne would be more useful in the army than on her own.

Brienne was however afraid about the fact Lady Sansa came with the army. Brienne was glad to ride to save Arya Stark, despite the fact they were still going too slow for her taste, but she didn't think it was a good idea to bring Lady Sansa with them. She should have stayed at Casterly Rock. After her initial reluctance and mistrust towards the Lannisters, she had come to trust them if not appreciate them. Their arrogance was still something she couldn't support, but Lord Tyrion and Ser Jaime had proven themselves worthy of trust, and the rest of their family at Casterly Rock had revealed themselves to be quite decent people. Lady Sansa would have been safe at Casterly Rock, protected by the Lannisters, as strange as it may seem, but on the road she could be in danger anytime, even with an army around her. Brienne had voiced her concerns to the lady, but she had refused to listen to her. Before the Lannister troops could travel North, they had to put an end to the siege of Riverrun. As for Brienne, the Lannisters should simply give it back with the Riverlands to House Tully, Lady Catelyn's house, make peace with Ser Brynden, and then head to Winterfell. They would lose less time this way, and that would be only fair. However, Lady Sansa said she might be the only one capable of persuading her granduncle to surrender Riverrun and to bend the knee to Tommen. Even worse, she was determined to follow the army when they would march on the North. She wanted to be there when they would free Winterfell and her sister. Brienne could recognize the same courage her mother had, but she was afraid this courage might get her killed. Lady Sansa remained deaf to her words and was decided to go to the North.

Brienne thought there could be another reason why Lady Sansa wanted to follow the army, and this reason didn't reassure her, quite the opposite. Brienne was well aware of what was going between the young lady and her husband at night. She had informed Lady Sansa about it after a night she was guarding their chambers and she had heard very loud noises from the other side of the doors. Considering how heavy where the doors, that said a lot. After this, Lady Sansa banned guards from before their doors at night. And since they left Casterly Rock, there had been a night when Brienne was guarding their tent when she heard her mistress's moans. The good thing was that it only happened once, as far as Brienne knew, and the noises were far less loud than back at the castle.