"Maybe one day we'll find out, Kingslayer." Brienne calmly states as she grabs the wooden oar from the small open space in the tiny boat, pushing gently off the bank as the current begins to take the boat along the swift waters. The swishing and rattling of the water puts them both at ease, but Jaime could tell that the currents were rougher than she anticipated. He wears a worried and confused expression as he watches her paddle along, occasionally switching the oar to each side as clumps of her straw colored hair stick to her forehead from exertion.
Jaime notices the small waves that begin rising higher and nearly splashing into the boat and looks at Brienne in confusion. "Does this wench realize that we'll be tipping over into the water soon? She'll drown..." Jaime wonders with concern present with his furrowed eyebrows and scrunched facial features. Brienne notices the change in expression and gives him an odd look.
"Do you hear that?" Jaime mockingly states.
"Hear what?" She answers, annoyance present in her voice as she continues to focus on paddling and no longer looks towards him.
"The stream is rough. We'll be tossed over soon by the sounds of it..." Jaime sarcastically stares as he strains to turn around and look at the water in front of them.
The river is turning into rapids. Fast currents sweep water in bubbles and create rivulets of zooming bullets that cascade into dips in height and rocks.
"Untie me!" Jaime quickly pled, eyes filling with growing terror.
Brienne still carefully trains her eyes on the future path of water, but she is realizing the danger slowly.
"Why would I do that?" She bluntly queried.
"When we hit those currents..." Jaime motions to the waters just a few hundred feet away, "we'll both be swept under. I won't be able to swim with my hands tied and you'll drown as you're weighed down by your armor..." he begins as his eyes motion to the heavy metal she currently wears.
She looks briefly to her gear and her eyes widen, but she desperately tried to return to her cool demeanor.
"Do you take me for a fool? Trying to escape won't work, Kingslayer." She calmly retorts.
"Listen, wench. I won't be able to take you for a fool if our bones will be lying scattered across the bottom of the river for the next few years being picked at by dwelling creatures. You'd be a fool to ignore the danger. Untie me, and I'll help you swim to the bank. Leave me, and I'll try to make it myself. Either way, I have a chance at living while you'll be drug down to the bottom by your armor and ignorance." He cautioned threateningly as the boat was rocked, knocking Brienne off balance and dropping the oar into the rushing waters. She tightly gripped the sides of the boat, eyes filled with terror and lost hope as he stares at her in awe and confusion.
She may be a blindingly stubborn, but he has never seen her look defeated until now. This is the first time she has had no choice but to yield. There is no one to fight, nowhere to fight. He's right. He looks at her as if she were a scared child and feels sorry for her. She has been ridiculed her whole life by others and now him. She refuses to trust anyone except herself, and now she feels helpless, betrayed by her own decisions. She's stubbornly loyal, and he can do nothing but admire her for it.
She looks to him in ruin and skepticism and as she takes out her sword, the blade glimmering in the sunlight. Jaime holds out his bound hands to her in an offering of peace as the small boat once again is tormented by a violent wave, throwing them both off balance. There's not much time.
Brienne slightly falls forward from the turbulence and Jaime steadied her with his bound hands as she tightly clings to the edge of the boat. She once again grabs her sword and gently slices the tied that once bound him.
He releases a groan and rubs his left wrist with his right hand, feigning a calm attitude as he sweeps his long hair from his face. Brienne looks to him with furrowed brows and wide eyes, absolutely terrified. Jaime looks to her with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, wench, at least now w-"
He is cut off by the boat being knocked violently to the left, they finally hit the rapids. The boat turns suddenly and flips them both out completely as it overturns and sinks. Jaime reaches for Brienne and can only hear her frightened, deep scream as the water engulfs them both.
He is being pushed and pulled every way by the water, tumbling and being violently thrown against rocks. The water is murky, but he opens his eyes and can still see the slight shine of her armor being tossed powerfully and seeing her limbs flailing helplessly. He begins losing air and desperately looks to the sparkling surface of the water when he looks back towards Brienne. She must have just hit her head, because she stopped fighting and is sinking lifelessly to the floor of the river, golden hair spread around her peaceful face. He looks once more to the surface before sighing and swimming deeper toward Brienne. "If I die getting you, wench, the gods will have a fit of laughter won't they?" He thinks as he paddles desperately towards her. She finally stops sinking and her body collapses as she hits the floor.
He tried to pull her up but the armor is too heavy. He sees her sword lying a few feet and swims to retrieve it. As he brings it back he begins cutting the leather straps of her heavy armor. He's losing air quickly. He finally cuts the final strap and rips the metal off forcefully as he grabs her hand, kicking off the bottom strongly as he pulls her to the surface.
He's gasping for air, yanking her body up behind him and putting her hands around his neck to keep her above water. He looks back to see her, still unconscious, her head lulling to the side as he rushes to the bank. He nearly slips on the muddy edge but keeps his balance as he throws them both on the ground. Panting, he lays beside her catching his breath until he realizes she had not yet taken a breath.
"Don't die on me, wench." He thinks as he jumps into action, quickly rolling over to begin pumping on her chest. He repeats the motion that he's seen some of his men use on the field of battle. Sometimes it works, and other times not. Might as well try.
"Come on!" He yells desperately, continuing to try. As he pushes harshly over her heart in rhythm to what it should be doing, he can hear a slight gurgle sound coming from her throat.
"That's it! Come on, wench!" He commands, excitement creeping into his voice as he smiles down at her. She suddenly lurches forward and coughs violently, water spraying from her lips as she scrunches her face together.
"That's it, Brienne, keep coughing." He calmly states as he places a hand on her back, supporting her body as she coughs up small fits, water generously exiting her body as Jaime encourages her. Finally, once all the water is out, she collapses to the ground, exhausted, opening her eyes.
It is then that she smiles gently.
"What could you possibly be smiling about, you almost died?" Jaime questions sarcastically as he leans down beside her.
"You forgot to call me wench, Kingslayer." She mutters.
"What?" He furrows his brows in confusion as she continues.
"You said 'brienne'... you called me Brienne..." she laughs as he looks at her in awe.
"Well, wench, don't count on another slip up. Hopefully I won't have to call you back from death again." He laughs as they both lay down on the ground, resting.
This is the most content that he's been in a long time. He can't remember a time where he felt truly, unapologetically happy. And he wants it to last, even if he has to put up with this stubborn wench. After all, she made an oath.
