Ser Brienne entered Lady Sansa's study. "You called for me, my lady."
"I did. Please take a seat." Sansa looked troubled as she handed Brienne a letter. "I received a letter from your father, Lord Selwyn. Have a read."
Brienne leaned forward eagerly to read the letter.
My dear Brienne,
I am heartened at your victory and relieved at your survival. I am so proud of you. My dear daughter has grown into an inspiring commander and the first woman knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Although I have the utmost confidence in you, I prayed to the seven gods for your safety. I set you on your path to become a warrior and a knight. Had my warrior daughter fallen at Winterfell, I would have bitterly regretted to the end of my days.
Now in a time of peace, my deepest wish is for the future of House Tarth. I hope you will return to be the Lady and the future of our House.
Love, Lord Selwyn Tarth, your father
Brienne sighed, feeling annoyed and a little guilty. Curse the gods for leaving her as Selwyn's only heir. Turning to Sansa, she protested, "My lady, I am sworn to serve you."
Sansa thought deeply and chose her words carefully. "Ser Brienne, you are a loyal and skilled knight, and you fought for me during the wars against the Night King, and against Cersei. Now that I rule the North under Danaerys and my brother Jon, I am well protected. You will serve me well as Lady Tarth, ensuring that House Tarth remains loyal to me."
"My lady, my father has tried to find a suitor for me. There are no lords willing to marry me."
"For your service to me, I shall make House Tarth powerful and prosperous. Suitors will be drawn from across the Seven Kingdoms. You will find a good man, and perhaps he will come to love you, and you will love him."
More likely an ambitious man would tolerate my appearance for wealth and status, Brienne thought to herself. She imagined playing the dutiful Lady to a Lord who carefully looked away from her, and a knot of dread formed in her stomach.
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Ser Podrick warily watched Brienne hacking at the training dummy. Although he was knighted for his bravery and skill in war, he did not dare cross Brienne now. She was pummeling the dummy with a vengeance, as if it had personally offended her honor. The dummy was dented and chipped, but she showed no sign of relenting. Podrick kept his distance.
"Something's got her in a fury." Podrick jumped and turned to see Ser Jaime observing Brienne was a bemused expression. "What's befallen her?"
Podrick shrugged. "She received a letter from Lord Selwyn. He asked her to become Lady of House Tarth," he explained. "She leaves in the morning. Ser Jaime? Are you all right?"
Jaime was scowling. Without another word he marched down the hill, just as Brienne gripped her sword with both hands. She raised it high and swung with her whole body, knocking the head off the dummy. The head soared through the air toward Jaime, who caught it in one hand. She paused, panting for breath with her hair falling into her eyes.
Jaime walked up to her and set the head on the dummy's shoulders. He looked at her, and she looked back at him. Finally Jaime broke the silence. "Come spar with me," he said as he picked up a sword. She nodded and followed him to an open field.
Jaime planted his feet and raised the sword in his left hand. He watched Brienne's movements, looking for a chance to strike. He didn't see an opening, but he jumped forward anyway and slashed at her. She easily raised her sword and blocked his strike. "I hear you're leaving for Tarth," he said while bearing down on his sword.
"I am. My father wishes that I would marry." Brienne shoved her sword and threw Jaime back. He took two steps backwards, twirled his sword like a baton, and prepared to strike again.
"Will you do it?" He asked before stepping in to jab.
Brienne automatically twisted out of the way and shoved him to the ground. "Return to Tarth, yes. Marry a lord, no!" She didn't sound convinced even as she said it.
Jaime rolled to his feet and picked up his sword. "You'll have to marry to continue the house name," he observed. He swung his sword at her head. She raised her sword to block, and he quickly kicked her in the ribs. As she staggered back, he mused "Maybe you'll be happy with your lord. You loved Renly, you can love again."
"Renly was kind to dance with me, but he didn't love me." Brienne looked sadly at the ground before leaping forward and swinging hard at Jaime. With her strength, she almost knocked the sword from Jaime's one-handed grip. Without pausing, she swung again. Jaime grunted and braced himself to block. Brienne suddenly changed direction, sending his sword clattering to the ground. "My father used to throw grand balls, hoping to find me a suitor. The young lords laughed and mocked me."
Jaime retrieved his sword and prepared to fight again. "Ser Brienne, any lord would be lucky to have you as his lady and his sparring partner." He sounded so earnest that she lost concentration for half a second. Jaime saw his chance and lunged. She froze with her weapon half-raised, as Jaime stopped his sword inches from her face.
She stepped back and settled into fighting stance. Her face felt warm. "I would be happy just to keep fighting and training, as we are now." She took two deep breaths and then attacked again.
She would be happy passing the years with me, into the future? Did she mean that? Jaime had no time to ponder the thought. They sparred until dusk, when they could no longer see. The next morning, Brienne left alone for Tarth.