Jaime and Bronn were two weeks from Riverrun when they found her, a woman who appeared to be dead lying on the side of the road. Jaime stopped his horse and Bronn followed suit.

"I think she's dead. You think?" Jaime asked.

Bronn shrugged. "I suppose the only way to know is to get down and check." The former sellsword made no move to dismount his horse.

"Well aren't you going to check?" Jaime asked.

"I don't see why I should. You're the one who wants to know if she's dead."

Irritated, Jaime dismounted his horse and approached the body. Once he was close enough he knew that there was no smell of rotting flesh, and no flies. "She's breathing." He told Bronn.

"Well now you know. Can we go?"

"And just leave her here? She'll likely die in the hot sun or be trampled by a horse if no one gets her off the road."

Bronn just shrugged in answer.

"No, we can't go… you know you aren't a sellsword anymore. If you're going to be a knight, you need to at least make an effort to act the part." Jaime told him.

"I wasn't aware that clearing the roads of bodies had anything to do with being a knight."

"No but rescuing maidens does." Jaime was already picking her up. "Hold my horse." Bronn reached over and grabbed the reins while Jaime lay the woman over the horse's back. Judging by her clothes, she was a commoner. But she was a pretty commoner, with long curly brown hair, and brown eyes. He tied her to the saddle, then mounted.

"What will you do with her now?" Bronn asked.

"She must belong at one of these cottages on the road. We'll ask."

They rode for several hours, asking at cottages, even speaking to a few travelers they met on the road. No one knew the woman, who she was or where she might have come from. And no one wanted to be entrusted with her care, not even for gold. When it was time to stop for the night, Jaime untied her from his horse, lay her on the ground and tried to give her water. She seemed to respond to that, her head lolling towards the cup as she tried to drink. So he fed her stew broth as well and covered her with a blanket before going to sleep on his bedroll.

In the morning Jaime's patient was awake. She moaned as if in pain, waking both men from sleep. Jaime went to her with more water while Bronn watched curiously.

"Here. Drink." He passed her the tin cup and she feebly reached for it, taking a long drink. "What's your name?"

"Muriel of House Piper...you're Ser Jaime Lannister." She said with some confusion.

"I am. Tell me what is Lord Clement's daughter doing dressed as a commoner, nearly dead on the side of the road?"

There was a look of panic in her eyes. "I..I do not wish to speak of it."

"Alright then, can you tell me if you are injured?" Jaime asked her.

She nodded. "I am bruised… my left arm is likely broken. Otherwise I am fine."

"Let me see the arm." He said kindly.

She complied and he pushed up the sleeve to look. It was most definitely broken, There were hand marks on her skin, bruises in the shape of some man's large hands. He helped her to wrap the arm in a sling, hoping that it would be enough until they could find a maester.

"Who did this to you?" He tried getting information from her again.

She bit her lip with hesitation. "I'm afraid I can not say."

"Can you tell me why none of the commoners around here were willing to aid you? Have you done something to offend them?" He was growing tired of her uncooperativeness.

"I did nothing to them…but I think…" A look of horror came into her eyes. "I am sorry sers. I do not think you should help me any further. I imagine you are going to Riverrun. Just go there and never mention to anyone that you helped me."

Jaime glanced at Bronn to see if he had any ideas. The man only shrugged. "The only reason I can imagine that you would refuse help and the people refuse to help you, is that you are running from someone, someone who has threatened punishment for helping you."

Muriel looked down, still not speaking.

"How old are you Muriel?" Jaime asked.

"Twenty four name days my lord."

"Past time for marriage. Is it your father or your betrothed that put out the threat?" He asked, making a guess.

Her eyes met his, a few tears slipping out. "My betrothed, Kevan of House Rosby. Father would never do such a thing. He has been good to let me remain unmarried this long."

"And your injuries?"

"Kevan only grabbed my arm. I was bruised and broke my arm falling from my horse." She told him worriedly.

"Is this Kevan so horrible a man that you needed to run away from him.?" Jaime asked.

"I don't know my lord. Truth be told I hardly know him at all. He might be a good man, he might not. I ran off because I love someone else." Muriel admitted.

"Ah. If you plan to run to him, perhaps we could take you there."

She shook her head. "You musn't take me there openly. He is a married man. If I go to him, I must go as a maid servant in his household, not as a lady."

"You'd rather be a mistress than the lady of a Castle?" Bronn spoke up. "This fellow must be quite the lover."

"Will you take me to Acorn Hall or not?" Muriel asked them.

"It could be that your lover won't protect you from your betrothed." Jaime pointed out.

"He will." Muriel insisted.

Jaime glanced at Bronn, he only shrugged in answer. "It isn't much out of our way. We'll take you to the gates. You'll be on your own from there."

"Of course." She agreed. She didn't expect them to lie for her.

It wasn't terribly far to reach Acorn Hall from where they were. Just over a week of travel on horseback. Muriel was not especially talkative during that time. She seemed on edge and worried. Jaime was wary of being chased by Muriel's betrothed but he was not anxious about it. Bronn was as unconcerned as he ever was.

On the fifth night as they set up camp Bronn made the same complaint he had made every night about sleeping on the ground.

"Damned grass is as hard rocks. I'd rather be back in my own bed." He repeated the same line as other nights.

"You mean you'd rather be back with your wife?" Jaime quipped. Usually he ignored Bronn's complaints. This was the first time he mentioned Bronn's marriage.

"Nah, she's alright I suppose. But it's the bed I miss."

"So you're unhappy with Lady Stokeworth?" Jaime asked, adding another log to the fire.

"I didn't say that, did I? I said I missed my bed. How is I can say one thing and you hear another?"

"I heard what you said. You said Lady Stokeworth is alright. That doesn't sound like a statement from a blissfully married man." Jaime said.

"There's nothing blissful about marriage. It's just something people do so we know who inherits the land and who doesn't. Maybe it makes some men happy. Doesn't mean there's anything wrong with their wives if it doesn't."

"I'm not surprised you're unhappy with her..." Jaime began and then thought the better of it.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Bronn began to sit up from where he lay flat on his back on the ground.

"You're a sellsword. Do you even have it in you to at least try to be a husband or a lord or even a knight? Of course you're marriage is going to be unhappy if you aren't willing to give it any effort." He said irritated and unsure why he was even giving out advice like this.

"If that's all you meant..." Bronn lay back down on the ground. "I thought you were gonna say something about my wife being ugly and then I'd have punch you in the face."

Jaime bit back a smile at the irony of his statement. Maybe there was hope for Bronn after all.

A few days later they were nearing Acorn Hall when they heard a group of horsemen approach. Nine armored men circled them and surrounded Jaime, Bronn, and Muriel. Jaime recognized the chevronels of the Rosby sigil.

"I am Ser Gerard, in service to house Rosby. My Lord demands that you return Muriel his betrothed to him at once." The knight shouted.

"We do not know of any maid named Muriel." Jaime said smoothly. "But I wish your Lord success in finding her. Now if we could just be on our way..."

"Silence! If you do not know Muriel, then who is this maid traveling with you?"

"She's just some wench that Bronn brought along with us." Jaime said.

"Then either she is lying or you are." Gerard accused. "We'll just take her back to Lord Rosby and see who he says she is."

"How dare you call me a liar? Do you know who I am?" Jaime demanded.

Gerrard seemed to notice Jaime's armor for the first time. "My apologies Ser Jaime. Of course you wouldn't lie to us. If you see Muriel of House Piper, Lord Rosby is offering one hundred silver stags to the man who brings her home safely."

"That's a lot of coin for a lost girl." Bronn commented. Jaime glared at him.

"It is." Gerrard agreed. "And she will not be easy to find as she has likely been lying about her identity." He stared pointedly at Muriel.

"Now there's no need to glare at Bessie like that." Bronn said. "I've had her since back in Kingslanding, she isn't your Muriel."

"Fine. We'll be on our way then." Gerrard led his men away.

A few hours later they left Muriel at Acorn Hall. She was taken in as a servant with few questions asked. It was as if the Lord had been expecting her.

"Why did you lie for her?" Jaime asked as they rode away towards Riverrun. "You might have claimed all those coins instead."

He shrugged. "You're the one who said I needed to act like a knight. I thought it was as good a time as any to start."