Brienne of Tarth

"Ser? My lady?" Asked Podrick. The boy had been asking where they should stop for hours now. In truth she did not want him as her squire, she thought him a bit slow, but loyal all the same. Brienne had tried to tell him that they were to travel until sunset, but the storm made it impossible to see the sun.

"Only a little while longer Pod, I want to make it further up the Kingsroad before we set up camp." Brienne told the boy. He was a brave lad, but it seemed that rain was the one thing that got under his skin.

"B-b-but we c-can barely see," complained Podrick. He was right, the rain had turned into a downpour and Brienne could hardly see anything ten yards away. Perhaps they should have made camp earlier, but Brienne had a promise to keep. She would find Sansa Stark even if it cost Brienne her life. It had been the last command she had from Lady Stark before she met her doom at the hands of Lord Walder and his family. If Brienne had been there, she would have laid down her life for Lady Stark, but there was nothing she could do about her death now. There was no way to bring the dead back.

"M-my lady? Ser? There's a fire ahead," said Podrick. Brienne searched with her eyes and spotted the fire. From what she could see it was nestled in a small cave, safe from the wind and rain. There was a large chance that these men would turn on Podrick and herself, but Brienne was confident that she would be able to fight them off. Besides, it was better than staying out in this rain where there was a high chance of her and Podrick getting sick. If they got ill, then she would be of no use to anyone and it would further delay her in finding the lost Sansa Stark.

"Let's go see if they will let us share their fire," Brienne said. She and Podrick slowly walked over to the fire, trying to spot the men who had built it. Sure enough, there they were sitting around in a circle. There were only three of them, all of them middle-aged. Brienne had no doubt that she could kill them off she needed to. She was cautious all the same though. She didn't want a misjudgment of character being the thing that got her and Podrick killed. Brienne approached them with one hand on her sword, Oathkeeper.

"Gentlemen, may we join you?" Asked Brienne.

"Are you a woman?" Laughed one of the men.

"Yes, and this is my squire, Podrick," said Brienne, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

"You and the boy may join us for the night, just don't slit our throats," said a different man, Brienne assumed he was the leader of the men, judging by his demeanor. Brienne and Podrick sat down with the circle of men, glad for the warmth of the fire.

"So, where are you and the boy off to?" Asked the leader of the three.

"I'm looking for my sister, a maid of three and ten. She has red hair. Have you seen her?" Brienne asked. She couldn't tell these men she was out looking for Sansa Stark. If she did, they might find her first and turn her in for the gold that was being offered for her capture.

"I ain't seen any maid like that, if I did though, I might take her for myself," said the man who had laughed at her before. Brienne kept her mouth shut, refusing to say anything stupid that might get Podrick and herself killed.

"Where are you men off to?" She asked to change the subject.

"We're bound for the Vale. Lord Baelish is in need of men. But I also hear his bastard girl is a pretty sight to look upon," said the one who had been silent until now.

"I didn't know Baelish had a bastard. What is her name?" Asked Podrick.

"Alayne Stone," replied the man.