The Lion and the Warrior

Close To You

Brienne opened her eyes and sat bolt upright in her bed. Jaime wasn't beside her and this was a bit concerning, however, he told James that he would look in on him soon. She got out of bed, slipped on her clothes and shoes and went to look for her husband. While lacing up her pants, she recalled her dream. The absolute gall of Cersei Lannister to sit down on my bed. Where my husband sleeps. This is ridiculous, it was a bloody dream. Still, she is a dried up old cunt, and dream or no dream, she...no one, will ruin my family, Brienne thought.

The storm continued outside. As Brienne walked the corridor, lightening provided flickering light for her to see along with the fading torches on the walls.

She came to her son's door and hesitated before going in, praying that this is where she would find Jaime. And she did. James had fallen asleep on the bearskin before the fire, and Jaime was sitting there keeping vigil.

Brienne walked up behind Jaime, knelt down behind him on the bearskin and put her arms around him. "Hello," he whispered, turning to kiss her lips, "here, sit down with me for a while."

"No, I need to talk to you. Let's go over by the bed so we don't wake him."

Jaime followed Brienne and they sat on the edge of James's bed. She told him of the visit she had with Cersei. "So it's not just you two she means to torment. It's all of us. And we need to end this, before she gets to Eliana as well."

"Right. He's asleep, and I am finding it hard to stay awake myself. I just wanted to be sure he was safe."

Jaime stared at his wife, she is so beautiful in this light. The fire reflected in her eyes. "What?" She asked.

"You just don't know, do you?" He cradled her head and neck in his hand, and stroked her cheek with his thumb. "I am madly in love with you. I've always been and it will not stop. You're everything to me." He kissed her. His tongue collided with hers and he moved in closer, pulling her to him and laying down on the bed. It was so hard, but she pulled away. She smiled at him, "wait, wait...this is not our bed. Our son is sleeping on the floor."

"I'm sorry. I forgot myself. Forgive me?"

"Always. I love you. I love you more than I will ever love myself, and I will die for you."

"Brie..."

"No, you don't understand. Your sister wants you back. On her terms, in her world and she won't take no for answer. Listen to me, please," she begged with misty eyes, "she said things to me that I think about but never told you. She said things that I want to forget. And everything she said, I had an answer for. I don't want to live a life without you..."

"You don't have to. What things?"

"Jai, I don't want to..."

"You have to tell me. We have no secrets."

"About you not loving me, that you went back to Winterfell because you were bored and lonely. You married me for obligation."

"You know the truth."

She crumbled in his arms. She cried quietly, as her son was sleeping several feet away, and she hoped he wouldn't wake up to this. But he did. He heard it all. He heard his father tell his mother, "You know the truth. You've always known the truth. I loved you long before that night at Winterfell, long before our first time together. For years. Don't let her do this to you. Don't let her do this to us," he said lifting her chin to look into her eyes. "No one can destroy what we have. No one ever will. Ever. You are the only person in my life to see me. The real me, for who I am, and truly love and respect me. I fell in love with you when you were my captor and we were dirty and filthy, fighting on the way to Kings Landing for the first time. I fell in love with the only woman to fight me with a sword. And I fell in love with you again in a steamy tub, when I was weak, sick, and missing a sword hand, and you were seventeen, naked and beautiful, listening to my tales of horror. I was already in love when I jumped into that bear pit, but more so when we came out. Please tell me you saw that."