The second installment of Bent, not Broken, because it just felt like it needed more.
The trip to the keep made them long for the privacy of the cabin. Selwyn was a painfully jovial man. He also sat between them like a frumpy first date chaperone.
"I hear you are the greatest swordsman in Westeros, we should spar once you've settled in. I taught Brienne everything she knows." He puffed up with pride, she shook her head, but let them talk.
"I may have been the best before I lost my sword hand, but now I'm hardly better than Brienne's squire." He looked over at her, Brienne tried not to laugh at the image of him fighting Podrick.
"Right, I heard you lost it to the Starks." Selwyn lead them into the keep, it's halls felt very much High Garden. There was a great deal of utility, but it still managed to capture the essence of summer on the islands even know in the clutches of winter.
"The Boltens actually. I had been released into your daughters care by Lady Katlyn in exchange for the safe return of her daughters. I was quite a nuisance as a prisoner, I even tried to escape. We were in the middle of fighting over my freedom when we were taken by the Boltons. They are the ones who took my hand. " Jaime said, the memories, save for the actual loss of his hand had actually become quite dear to him.
"Don't sell the story short." Brienne didn't want to interfere with her father getting to know Jaime, but he did have a tendency to paint himself as the villain.
"Is there more to the story?" Selwyn took them to the main hall to eat while they talked. They would be happy for the variety of the food at the keep.
"To hear Brienne tell it I'm a shining hero of the tail. The Bolton men were going to have their way with her, and I convinced them Tarth was called the sapphire isle because every sapphire in Westeros had been mined here, and that you would pay her weight in sapphires if she were returned without being sullied. When it worked I pressed to try and get us released, and they cut my hand off. Not exactly my most daring moment." He shrugged, Selwyn looked between them when Brienne scoffed.
"Right, and then you jumped into a pit with one hand and no weapon to save me from a bear. Do you really think you weren't the hero of this story?" Brienne out a hand on his shoulder to make him look at her.
" I would have let myself bleed out in the mud if not for you, and my story of sapphires is what got you in the pit to begin with. It was the least I could do." Jaime took her hand, he found that he enjoyed the simple act of holding her hand. He had never been allowed to hold Cersei's hand, or even show affection in public.
"No, the least you could have done is kept going to King's Landing, you were well away. You never did say why you came back for me." She looked his hand to emphasize , which seemed unfair since he only had the one.
"I dreamed of you." He admitted, pulling her hand to his lips for a kiss. She blushed, Selwyn smiled, this man may be a Lannister, but he daughter happier than he'd ever seen her before.
"Did he give you that fancy sword as well, your not even if your family crest anymore." Selwyn noticed, she touched the edge of the armor he had given her so long ago, crafted to fit her perfectly, it was finer than what she lost.
"Yes father, Oathkeeper is a valyrian steel blade, one of two forged from Eddard Starks blade Ice. Jaime carries it's pair. He also fitted me with this armor. I lost everything to the Boltens. He armed, and armored me to fulfil my oath to Lady Katlyn Stark." She spoke of the things she wore as if they were the finest treasures ever given.
"That's right, and yet your here. Who is protecting Lady Sansa?" Jaime hadn't even thought to wonder before then.
"Sir Podrick, I knighted him before I left. He had more than earned it. He will fulfil my oath in my absence, though I should send a raven." She said, he was shocked she had left an oath behind, but he knew it couldn't be in better hands.
"Sir Podrick more than earned his knighthood. He saved my life a few times in the war with the dead. I do hope we don't have to return to the North though. I'm tired of the cold, it makes my arm hurt." He raised his golden hand. She frowned, looking down at their clasped hands.
"Would you come with me if Lady Sansa asks for my return?" She whispered without looking up, Jaime scoffed.
"Of course I would you mad woman, wherever you are I will be, always." He set their clasped hands on the table for all to see.
Brienne sent word to Sansa, and did all she could to avoid going to see the tailor. She knew her figure didn't suit a dress, much less an elegant wedding gown. She twisted her hands together outside her room, where she knew the seamstress would be waiting. She hates not sharing a bed with Jaime, maybe she could sneak into his room to hide.
"Your stalling." Jaime came up behind her, and put his arms around her waist, going up on his toes to put his head on her shoulder.
"You wear the gown, and I'll wear the cloak. You'd look better in it anyhow." She sulked, leaning back into him.
"Alright, I'll get fitted. " He let go of her, shifting to enter the room. She pulled him away, her back hitting the wall. He smirked leaning his golden hand on the wall, and bringing his other hand up to tuck a platinum curl back into place.
"You are going to look as gorgeous as ever, all in white with those beautiful blue eyes on me. I couldn't imagine anything more perfect." He leaned up to kiss her, and she pressed into him, hungry for his touch. The way she moved against him, he might have taken her there in the hallway had the seamstress not poked her head out the door with a gasp.
"Ah, now it's a proper scandal. A pregnant bride, caught seducing her betrothed like a common who're in the hallway." Brienne turned red from the to tip, hiding her face in the nape of his neck. He held her, kissing the top of her head.
"We're marrying for love, not station, who cares what anyone thinks. Though I am a bit weary of your father. I suspect he could kill me if he chose to." Jaime looked down the hall, Brienne laughed, finally untangling herself from him.
"He is a formidable knight, though I have been able to best him since I was eighteen. He married for love, I wish could remember my mother. He has no room to question out behavior though, as he's had a new woman every year since her passing." Brienne straightened up, Jaime looked at her skeptically.
"Really? Your father is a whore monger?" He said, doubt heavy in his tone. She shook her head, taking his hand to keep from having to look up at him.
"No, never whores, he would court a woman, even sometimes plan to marry them, but every year on the anniversary of my mother's death he would send them away. Each one tried to help raise me, insisting I simply needed a mother's love to be a proper lady. I scared quite a few of them off before my father could." She got a car off look in her eyes at the memory. Jaime kissed her, a much more chaste kiss before he pulled away.
"Would you believe that my father married for love as well. I was still very young when she died giving birth to Tyrion, but I still remember her. She was sweet, and frail. The way my father smiled at her, and acted while she lives could never have been reconciled with the man who raised us. He never spoke of her, and he certainly never courted anyone else. Nothing frightens me as much as the idea of becoming him." Jaime whispered, Brienne leaned into him, kissing his cheek.
"You'll never be rid of me Jaime, I think I've proven that already." He chuckled, finally letting her go with a little sigh.
"Go get fitted so I can marry you woman." He pulled the door open, Brienne scowled at him, but went inside.
Jaime left to find a drink, he hadn't spent much time alone since Brienne had saved him. He found he didn't care for it. Without her his mind was free to run through all the mistakes he had made in his life. He regretted so much. He couldn't help but wonder if he could have saved Cersei if he hadn't failed her so many times. It are at him, but if he hadn't he wouldn't be here in her arms.
He loved Brienne, so much, she made him the man he wanted to be, but if she hadn't torn him in two he would have stood by Cersei's side until he died in her arms. He would have died a monster, wouldn't he? Would he have though? He'd known Brienne have him the strength to walk away from that throne room, but the words she spoke, her plan. Burn them all. The words haunted him. His life would have ended there without Brienne.
"You don't need to die with her." She'd said that when she pleased with him, but he wondered if she knew that she was the only thing that saved him. He found himself in the Sept rather than a tavern. He went to the alter, laying his hand on the cold stone. He closed his eyes, trying to block out the image of every on of his children, and his father laying on a stone alter just like this, painted rocks over their eyes. Cersei would likely never get a proper funeral.
He laid his head down, his brow pressed to the rough surface, tears stinging his eyes. He felt like he hadn't stopped crying since he left Winterfell. He heard the doors open, and rushed to straighten up, and dry his eyes.
"Sir Jaime, come to help make preparations for tomorrow?" Selwyn lead a group of people there to decorate for the wedding.
"No, I'm so sorry. I... I'll leave." He made his way towards the door. Selwyn out his hand on his shoulder to stop him.
"I know you lost a lot son, nothing will ever make it right, but don't let it destroy what you can have now. Trust me, I've made that mistake most of my life." Selwyn said, Jaime took a deep breath trying to steady himself.
"Without her, without Brienne I wouldn't be here today. I have never met anyone so good as her. I will always miss the people I've lost, but she's the one I couldn't live without. " He really needed that drink.
Brienne woke to the sound of someone entering her room, she drew Oathkeeper from it's sheath, and slid quietly out of bed. Who would be fool enough to sneak into her chambers the night before her wedding.
"Brienne!" Jamie's voice slurred, and he practically fell into her bed.
"Your drunk. I nearly killed you." She returned Oathkeeper, and sat back down on the bed. He tossed his golden hand aside, letting it crash to the floor.
"I am, quite a lot." She looked down at him in confusion. She didn't think he even knew what he was saying.
"You should go back to your own bed." She brushed his hair out of his face. He crawled over, and laid his head on her lap.
"No! I miss you, I miss holding you. You keep my mind quiet." He clung to her waist, she sighed, stoking his back gently.
"Alright, you can stay, but you have to leave before sun up. Your not meant to see me before the wedding." She whispered , he hugged her tighter.
"I love you Brienne, I love you so much. I love you." He mumbled into her stomach, she smiled shifted over to lay them down.
"I love you too." She whispered, kissing his brow. He snuggled into her, he was never going to wake up early enough to leave. She shook her head, and let her eyes drift closed.
Jaime was ushered out by two appalled chamber maids, and the preparation for the wedding rushed by. They laced her up in stupid swath of silk and lace. Draped her maidens cloak over her head, which seemed like a joke at this point given the child growing in her belly. How could she stand against the army of the dead with only tension in her ahoulders, but the doors to the Sept twisted her but into knots.
"Are you ready sweet girl?" Her father put his arm out for her. She steeled her expression, and straightened up.
"Come on now, this isn't a battle, you are allowed to smile." He shook his arm slightly to get her attention. She but her hand over his, and started forward, if she let herself be unguarded she feared she might cry. She kept her composure so well, until he turned at the sound of her approach.
He looked at her with that devastating grin, the one that wrinkled his eyes, and pressed dimp!es into his cheeks, which were freshly shaven for the wedding. He looked so happy for the first time since Winterfell. She looked up at the ceiling, a smile cracking her steel, and tears falling despite her attempt to stop them.
"You look gorgeous, but you're not meant to cry, even if you are stuck marrying an old man." He whispered , she covered her face to try and muffle the bark of laughter that escaped her. She tried to give him a scolding look, but she couldn't stop smiling.
"You may now cloak the bride, and bring her under your protection." The Sept broke the spell that had them trying so desperately not to laugh. Jaime took his cloak from his shoulder's and placed it carefully on hers. His hand lingered on the bare skin of her neck, eager to touch her again.
"In the sight of the seven I hereby seal these two souls, binding them as one for eternity, look upon each other, and say the words." She laid her hand over his, and the Sept bound them with a length of silk. They turned to one another, Brienne couldn't quite stop the tears of joy, or the painful grin hurting her cheeks from lack of use. Jaime matched her smile, lost in the purity of her joy.
"Father, Smith, Warrior, Mother, Maiden, Crone, Stranger, I am hers, and she is mine from this day, until the end of my days." He lost himself in her sapphire blue eyes while he spoke the words. She repeated them, and he pulled her in for a long slow kiss, hungry for more. The crowded Septon cheered, and they broke apart, remembering for the first time that they were not alone.
"So tell me husband, how bad does your head feel after last night's drinking? " Brienne asked once they had been ushered to the feast.
"I have no idea what you mean wife." He said while he sucked down a second glass of wine. She laughed, putting a hand on his wrist to stop his drinking.
"I'd like you not to be quite so drunk as our first time together husband. " She said, h is mouth fell open in exaggerated offence.
"Are you saying that our first, beautiful night together was anything less than absolutely perfect?" Jaime cocked a brow at her, she laughed leaning in to kiss him.
"It was amazing, but your performance was far superior the second time." She whispered against his lips. His hand moved up her leg under the table with a devious smirk.
"I assure you, I will be performing at my best this evening." He balled up her gown, his hand not against the bare skin of her upper thigh.
"Jaime! " She gasped, slapping her hand over his. He cocked his head, mischief twinkling in his eyes.
"Do you really want me to stop?" He whispered , shifting his hand under hers. She let up, just enough for him to free his hand. He moved it up to brush over her curls. She sucked in a breath, looking around at the people of Tarth enjoying their feast.
"If you squirm they're going to catch us." He nipped at the shell of her ear as he plunged two fingers inside her. She bit her lip when he sat back in his chair, his thumb circling her clit gently at first. Her expression took on a stealy mask, and Jaime had to try very hard not to laugh. Her gripping his thigh hard was the only indication of her coming undone.
"By the gods Jaime Lannister if you don't get me out of this room right now I will take you here, and now." She practically growled the words, he brought his hand to his mouth, sucking his fingers clean.
"You haven't even been my wife for two hours, and already you're bossing me around." He wasn't sure standing at this juncture would be all together wise. Brienne stood in that abrupt manner she had.
"I am retiring." She looked down at him, Jaime shrugged, well who was he to deny her.
"Yes sir." He stood a bit awkwardly to the cheers of the hall, and left to start his new, oh so very beautiful life.