Teaser

The theft of the dragon eggs creates another media frenzy that Jaime manages to deflect as gracefully as he had managed to deflect the glory of finding the artifacts back to Lew, Jorah and the others.

"Will you be investigating the theft?" one reporter asks breathlessly.

Jaime gives her a professional smile. "My colleagues and I have not been invited to assist with the investigation. I'm certain the Driftmark City Watch is more than capable of solving this crime, but, of course, we'd be more than happy to help, if requested. I do have a personal connection to these artifacts, and I hope they are quickly recovered."

*/*/*/*/*

They're still fielding calls from reporters when they walk into the boardroom for a meeting with a potential new client and find the oldest man Jaime has ever seen sitting at the table. He is completely bald, his shoulders stooped with an air of fragility, and—Jaime notices the folded white cane beneath the old man's hand—he's blind. Their visitor is accompanied by a young man with an unfortunately red complexion who looks as worried as Jaime feels that the old man is going to drop dead if someone sneezes in his direction.

Brienne smiles and says, "Maester Aemon? I am Brienne Tarth."

The ancient man holds out his hand and she shakes it.

"And I am Jaime Lannister," Jaime says.

The old man nods and holds out his left hand. Jaime raises an eyebrow as he takes it.

"Don't be surprised, Mr. Lannister. My steward here, Chett, does his research. And, of course, I've seen—in a manner of speaking—you and Ms Tarth on television many times these last few weeks."

"Yes," Brienne says, "it's a pity about the dragon eggs." She shoots Jaime a lightning glance and he smirks.

"Yes," Maester Aemon says. "It's those appearances that prompted this visit."

Jaime raises an eyebrow as he pulls out a chair for Brienne. She stalls and gives him a puzzled frown before she sits. He gives her a bland smile as he takes his own seat, and she blinks before she turns her attention back to their visitors.

"Are you here to give us information about the eggs?" Jaime asks.

Maester Aemon barks a laugh, and that, at least, sounds as if it's emanating from a much younger man. "Nothing more than I'm certain the eggs are frauds, planted right beneath your very nose."

Jaime's smile turns cold. "Have you come here for the sole purpose of calling me a fool?"

Maester Aemon barks another laugh and says, "Fool or no, I've come here to hire you."

Jaime's eyes pop wide. "Hire me?"

"You may not recognize a hoax like the dragon eggs, but your ability to uncover other secrets precedes you. Maester Marwyn, my friend and colleague at the Citadel, has not contacted me or anyone else in weeks. I would like you to find him."

Jaime's lips quirk into a smile. "And tell him to phone home?"

Maester Aemon frowns and Brienne rolls her eyes.

"Our pardons, Maester. Mr. Lannister can never resist making a movie reference. When was the last time you heard from Maester Marwyn?"

"Four weeks ago." Maester Aemon leans forward and Jaime swears he hears the old man's bones creaking. "Maester Marwyn is one of the best historians at the New Citadel. He left for Essos three months ago, to join a dig at a site that is most likely the lost Dothraki city of Vaes Dothrak. Four weeks ago, he called to tell me that he has made a magnificent find. He wouldn't tell me what it was, but he was as giddy as a school boy." His smile is faint and his sightless eyes gleam with amusement. "I can make movie references, too, Mr. Lannister."

Jaime grins. "Azor Ahai and the Last Lightbringer. 1989. Well played, Maester."

"And appropriate as well. Maester Marwyn has been obsessed with seeking out mythical magical artifacts for all the years I've known him but he has never gone so long without contacting at least the New Citadel. I want you to find him and, yes, Mr. Lannister: tell him to phone home."

*/*/*/*/*

Bronna's expression is incredulous as she watches Brienne carefully lay out the sparse amount of clothes she's taking with her on their long journey to what may be Vaes Dothrak in the far-flung reaches of the Dothraki Sea. Brienne's face is already burning from her conversation with Bronna and she hopes her friend will let just let things go.

"I don't believe it," Bronna says.

No such luck, Brienne thinks with a silent groan as Bronna continues.

"You're still not fucking? What are you, a septa?"

Brienne didn't think it was possible, but her face gets even hotter. She wonders if there will be a point where she literally bursts into flame from Bronna's bluntness.

"It's complicated, Bronna," she says.

"His past is complicated; your emotions are complicated; getting naked and banging him until his c—"

"Bronna!"

Bronna rolls her eyes. "My point is, sex isn't complicated!" She pauses, frowning. "Well, so long as you don't make the knots too fancy..."

Brienne drops the t-shirt she's holding, puts her hands over her face and half-screams, half-groans into them.

"Will you please go away?" she begs.

Bronna shrugs. "Okay," she says and stands.

Brienne's eyes widen. "Where are you going?" she asks.

Bronna laughs. "Don't worry; I'm not that easily offended! But I arrived to help you pack only to discover you're not only still celibate, you're out of ice cream, too. I'm going to go solve at least one of those problems for you." She starts snicker again at the look on Brienne's face. "Ice cream, Brienne! You already have a solution to the celibacy thing!"

*/*/*/*/*

Brienne is finished packing, her bag ready in the living room, when Bronna returns laden down with enough ice cream to stock a corner store.

"What the hells...?" Brienne sputters.

Bronna shrugs. "If I'm not going to get any vicarious sexual satisfaction, then you're going to be in an ice cream coma when I put you on that plane. Maybe it'll lower your defenses enough to join the mile high club."

Brienne puts her hand over her eyes and sighs. "And I'd finally stopped blushing..."

"Go put the ice cream away. That should cool you off."

*/*/*/*/*

Brienne isn't quite in an ice cream induced coma by the time she arrives at the airport for their three a.m. departure, but it's close. She's relieved when they finally board the plane and get settled in their seats.

Jaime gives her a half-smile as he finishes securing his seatbelt and says, "I don't know who's going to be sleeping on whose shoulder, but I'm going to be out like a light in about ten seconds."

"Me, too," Brienne says and gives him a sleepy smile as she throws the travel blanket she brought over them both.

*/*/*/*/*

In the end, they sleep on each other's shoulders all the way to Vaes Efe, in the far reaches of the Dothraki Sea.

*/*/*/*/*