Brienne:

It was an uncomfortable silence between the group of four, as it had been for nearly a three weeks. They would only share words with each other when absolutely necessary. And Brienne hated that it had to be her, but she felt it needed to be asked. "Where are we going next?"

Jaime and Mudge looked up from their stews to and listened for the answer, and it was Harwin's voice that did. "East, if the Vale isn't where we find m'lady Sansa then we'll turn south and to the Stormlands."

"And if not there, where will we go next?" Jaime asked. Ever since Brienne had lead Jaime from Pennytree to the Brotherhood, where they had captured him and informed him of his two choices it had been tense between them and she knew she was the cause.

Harwin never failed to gain a look of anger when Jaime spoke and this was no different. "Then we go west to the Reach, Kingslayer. Until you fulfill your oath, both of your lives are no longer your own, we will find her and if we die trying then so be it."

Mudge added in. "As long as we find her, those two will be safe from the noose, that we swear." Brienne knew he was speaking of Podrick and Ser Hunt.

And we will, somehow. Brienne knew that they had no choice, and she felt that it was only fair. "We won't be able to get south unless the Gods themselves come down and carry us through the clouds." Jaime spit as he tore into a loaf of brown bread in the middle of the table. "There is an army of nearly one hundred thousand in the south if the rumors peasants tell are to be believed ... so I'd say nearly twenty thousand."

"And we've heard they will be moving on soon." Harwin responded and took his own portion of bread. "Ahh, Gendry." He called to a figure behind Brienne and she turned to see the blacksmith who saved her life from the Biter.

The black haired man was covered in soot and ash and still had his forging leathers on. "You're back I see." He murmured and looked over at Brienne and Jaime before stopping at the head of their table. "Jeyne bring me some stew." He called out as he looked over their portions.

"Still keeping hard at work?" Harwin asked him.

"Aye, I could mend anything if you're planning to stay the night. I still have a bit of metal left over." Gendry then nodded his head to Brienne. "I see you're still breathing."

She still struggled to comprehend how he could look so much of Renly, but managed to respond. "I am, and I never got to thank you for-"

"It's not necessary." He informed her and then both him and Brienne noticed Jaime's stare that never left him. "This one soft in the head or something?"

Brienne grasped Jaime by the elbow and that seemed to snap him from his daze. "Sorry, you ... you look like someone I knew."

Gendry seemed to forget it fast enough, but still held a look of something in his eyes, but Brienne didn't know what it was though. "Aye, I get that a lot." He then turned back to Harwin. "So what are you doing all the way out here?"

The innkeeper named Jeyne found her way into the dining hall with a brown bowl and pushed it into Gendry's hands. "Eat and then get back in your bloody forge, pots need patching."

Gendry nodded his understanding and pulled a stool to the head of the table. "Getting tired of banging out dents for us?" Mudge asked in jest.

"We're going east to find Arya's sister." Harwin told Gendry and then he cut off Gendry's next question before he asked it. "And no you can't come with us. We still need you here to look over the children and inn."

The black haired boy tore a piece of the bread for himself and dunked it into his stew. "I wasn't gonna ask you." It sounded like he was to Brienne, but she wasn't going to speak up. "Not with all the talks of another bloody war anyhow. Some traveler was talking about how they hung those Lannister troops in Maidenpool, and how they've been handing out food."

They had heard the same a few days ago, probably from the same man. "We are well away of this Targaryen King." Said Harwin.

"Have you seen Notch? He told us he was going south to Maidenpool to see what was happening." Mudge said in between bites of bread.

Gendry had the bowl up to his lips and drank deeply, and then he wiped at his mouth with his sleeve. "Aye, he didn't stay though. That was the day before this one. He had me make him some arrows and then he went off down the road."

"What else have you heard of that army?" Jaime broke his silence to ask.

The blacksmith looked back at Harwin for his go ahead and then responded. "Some silver-haired King, people are saying he's some blessing from the Seven," Gendry tried not to snicker and went on. "Some claw people have joined with him I heard, and that red fish Lord of Maidenpool too. Some traveler traded me a salted ham he got from them if I fixed the setting on his dagger."

Nudge called out to the kitchen. "Jeyne! You got a ham back there and you're serving us this?"

"So the Lords of Crackclaw Point and Lord Mooton of Maidenpool." Harwin explained to the group in finer words, though Brienne had understood Gendry well enough.

Jaime stared into his stew and told them. "The Clawmen have always been Targaryen loyalists, so that makes sense. And Mooton is a craven who bends where the wind pushes him."

"House Mooton doesn't have any troops, and the town was in ruin when I saw it." Brienne told them, and even though it had been a far bit of time since then, she knew that it couldn't have changed that soon.

"Some Lord with a green and red archer sigal was rebuilding it, last I heard." Gendry explained and then finished off his meal. "So do you have anything I can work on?"

Mudge stood up and removed his axe from his belt loop. "The handle feels ready to snap and the edges could be fined more." Gendry nodded and took the axe from him.

After he had left, Harwin spoke in a hushed voice. "You know who that boy is, don't you Kingslayer?"

"You said his name was Gendry." Jaime japed and after he was met with a cold and unflinching stare from Harwin, he relented. "Of course I know, he's the spitting image of Robert before he got fat. He even has the same beard growing that Robert once had."

"He's a good lad, loyal and honorable. Although he may be thick headed at times, he's good and true to the causes he swore to." Harwin finished and threw Jaime one last barb before he let him eat in peace.

But Jaime couldn't help himself and japed back. "Oh I believe you, and I'm sure it has nothing to do with the truth that he is one of you. I'm sure if we give him a few years he'll turn out like Robert did. Tell me, has he found the pleasure that cunts and wine can give yet? I suppose not or he would be out back with that innkeeper"

"I'm not sure Kingslayer, but thankfully when he does it won't be with his own sister."

Jaime's face took on a scowl, but he kept his thoughts to himself. "Are we staying the night?" Brienne asked trying to diffuse the situation, and Harwin nodded.

Suddenly a scream then broke out from the front of the inn and everyone stood and drew their weapons. "Soldiers! Lots!" Brienne recognized it as Willow's voice. They left the table and ran to the entrance of the inn.

"Do you recognize their sigils?" Harwin asked as he stepped onto the dirt road blocking the inn. Brienne recognized two of the riders were wearing the tree of house Pyne and the black wings of house Staunton.

"Two are Clawmen." Jaime answered for Brienne. And from her count they looked to be nearly eight strong and each were on a horse. As the troops noticed the foursome, they stopped and one of the men on horse rode to them.

They all held their ground and waited for the horseman to speak. "Clear off the road. King's army is traveling this way." Said a high pitched men wearing a barbute helmet and who wore a yellow and red lighting storm being smashed by a hammer on his shield, but Brienne didn't recognize it.

Brienne turned when she heard the inn's door open and she saw a small boy poke his head out. "Get back inside." Harwin ordered the boy, without the need to turn.

Then the boy backed away from the door and Jeyne passed by him and left the inn with a spear in hand. "The inn is not open. Please leave me land." She told the man, who in turn called over the rest of his group with a wave of his hand.

"Clear off the road. We won't be asking yee again." The high pitched man's voice rung out again, ignoring Jeyne's demand.

Mudge had already given his weapon to Gendry, so he was armed with a dagger in one hand and his dinner knife in the other, but still he stepped forward first. "What King do you serve then?"

A bigger man wearing a hauberk of red mail, stepped down from his horse. After he removed his sallet, Brienne wished he didn't as she saw his grotesque harelip. "The only King of this fucking land. King Aegon the Sixth." He looked around the inn and at each and everyone of them. "Thats a nice glove you got there." He exclaimed as he looked down at Jaime's golden hand.

Jaime didn't have a chance to respond thankfully, as Harwin informed them calmly. "We don't serve your King, and this inn is closed as the good lady back there told you." He was tensing his axe hand along the handle, while his other hand had his sword at the ready.

The harelipped man who Brienne guessed was in charge, looked back at Jeyne who was standing far and away on the porch of the inn. "You don't mean to deny your King a roof to sleep under, do you?"

Jeyne was obviously scared, but took comfort in the Brotherhood being there and between herself and the men. "I'm sorry good Ser, but the inn is all closed up. We only house orphans here now."

That seemed to anger the man as his followers stepped down from their horses next. "You would kick those bastards out if you know what's good for you bitch." His tone was no longer light and he was clearly angry now.

"It's rude to speak to a lady like that." Jaime chided him and meant to step forward if Brienne didn't block him from doing just that.

The harelipped man looked at Brienne and his eyes squinted in confusion. "Is that fucking thing a bitch as well? What they hell happened to ya? Did a bloody wolf bite your damn face off?" She could feel his eyes appraising her and her scar. And she couldn't help notice his own missing chunk on his chin.

"Just keep moving on." Harwin told them threateningly. "This land has seen enough war and destruction and it doesn't need any more of your kind."

The harelipped man drew his sword from over his shoulder and was followed by others behind him. "This the King's land, and if he's feeling right to, he'll burn this fucking pile of timber to the bloody ground. And if you can hold a sword you do well to join his army."

"I serve no King, and I never will again. But if you mean to prey on these good people here, then we will stop you." Harwin's tone was steady and he backed up one step, and Brienne noted it would put him right out of the harelipped man's first swing if he did.

The harelipped man's eyes wandered over to the forge just as Gendry exited with sword and axe in hand. "Six brave fools want to die is it? I'll give you to the count of five to drop your weapons and maybe I won't fuck that brown haired bitch with the spear bloody."

Brienne readied oathkeeper and she noted Jaime had prepared his own blade in a defensive position. I need to protect him. Brienne reminded herself as she had seen Jaime attempt to fight with his left hand and it was not pretty, so she readied into her own defensive stance. "Gendry, take Jeyne inside the inn and keep everyone safe." The Northman told him as he prepared his own weapons.

Gendry meant to argue. "No I-"

"Now!" Harwin demanded, and Gendry gave one last look of defiance before tossing his axe into the ground near them and running Jeyne back into the inn.

Mudge leaned down and picked his axe back up. "Die you fucks!" He screamed as he chucked the axe at the spear wielding man opposite them, which was then embedded in the man's chest seconds later.

It then broke into chaos as the harelipped man slammed his sword down onto Harwin who managed to block it with the dull edge of his axe. "Jaime stay behind me!" Brienne demanded and then she moved to clash steel with a shorter man with a small patch of hair above his lip. He was fast, but not very strong and it took Brienne three strikes before she had tossed him off his balance and ended him with a slash across the throat.

"I've always fucking hated Westerosi." She heard the harelipped man roar out. But Brienne didn't have time to locate who everyone was fighting or how they fared besides for Jaime, but she did notice not all attacked and some hung behind, namely those wearing the sigils of Clawpoint.

Jaime himself was keeping out of the reach of a flail wielding man, who was trying to corner him against an oak tree. Jaime seemed to have a grasp on fighting with his left hand, but he was still too slow and unsure of himself and it showed in his movements. Fortunately for Jaime, Brienne had moved to and stabbed the man through the back of the chest and ended his life before he could land any blow with his mighty weapon. Brienne had then seen a look of fear on Jaime's face and then she felt immense pain on her back and she felt her knees give out soon after.

Another ring of steel filled the air as Brienne remembered where she was and she pushed her face out of the grass and dirt. After she was back to her feet, she saw two of the enemy standing over someone and they stabbed at him over and over while his cries of pain added to the ballad of war. "Do you hear that?" The harelipped man's voice was clear as he continued to batter Harwin around the road, who had since lost his sword.

To Brienne's relief she found Jaime and saw him on top of a purple haired man while he tried to force a dagger into the man's face. He wasn't getting the best of it as he had only one hand and the other man had two to hold him off. Quickly after the man had flipped them over, resulting in the blond Lannister being laid on his back. "Jaime!" Brienne cried as she ran and tackled the man off of him and then she unfortunately landed on the bottom with him on top of her.

It took him a second to realize what had hit him and when he did, Jaime had smashed him over the back of the head with his fist. After he had slumped off of her, Jaime ran his dagger over the man's throat which bled him. "Get up." He told her and then pulled her back to her feet. "Grab your sword." He added and she quickly spotted her Oathkeeper laying in the grass where she had been knocked down earlier.

"Fuck!" Roared out the harelipped leader as he stumbled back from Harwin, who had created a long gash across his chest. "Call for help!" He screamed and then the high pitched man with him lifted a tanned horn to his lips and blew for all he was worth.

As Jaime and Brienne returned to Harwin's side, she noticed he had suffered some minor wounds of his own. "We swore an oath." Harwin managed to huff out past his heavy breathing. He then smacked Brienne on the chest and pushed her back. "You need to get Sansa Stark back, both of you go now!"

"We can't." Brienne argued and readied her sword. "You're wounded and you won't be able to hold them off long enough for anyone to escape. So take Ser Jaime and go, I can hold them off until nightfall if I must."

Then another horn blew in the nearby distance and their enemies smirked as they knew it was soon to be over. "Brienne you can't-" Jaime tried to argue, but Harwin wasn't willing to waste anymore precious time and pulled him away.

"We will save her, I swear to you Lady Brienne." Harwin exclaimed as he pulled Jaime away towards the woods for cover.

"I was ready to give your life up once before, Ser Jaime. But I won't now. So fulfill your oath to Lady Catelyn and I will die happily." She could see a storm of dust and dirt being kicked up far down the road and she knew that it was the reinforcements. "Now go!" She screamed just as the harelipped man slammed his blade against her Oathkeeper.

The supposed leader of the men, screamed at the two Clawmen who were still on horse. "What are you shits doing? After them!" To Brienne's relief they held their ground and didn't move. She didn't see Jaime or Harwin leave, she couldn't as her concentration was completely drawn to the furious looking man still swinging down at her. "They won't get away you stupid bitch. They will be caught and they will be hung, but not you no no no. I'm gonna kill you right here and watch you drown in your own blood." He then kicked her in the knee and nearly stumbled her, but she recovered and backed off to catch her breathe, while she still made sure she had them blocked from passing her.

"You can try." She warned him and then bounced off the balls of her feet and lunged at him with a stab.

He had nearly skewered himself on her sword trying to dodge it, but he did and fell over into the mud. "Fuck! Stop her!" He screamed out in a panic as he pulled himself away.

Brienne had moved to finish the vile man, but suddenly she felt her leg give out and she saw a wooden bolt sticking through her calf, right under the armor. She didn't know if she had blacked out or for how long, but when she regained her sight she was surrounded by a line of cavalry all arming their iron spears at her. "You won't have me!" Brienne roared at them and slapped two spears away with her sword and then the line broke and she saw a black and golden armored man pace his horse up to her. "Do you want to die Ser?" She warned him in a slurred tone and then she felt her arms go numb, soon thereafter her knees buckled and she fell on her stomach. It took a few moments, but she knew that someone had smashed her across the head as she felt her own blood trickling over her ears.

She saw the darkness outlining her vision, but still maintained enough sight to see a black horse that the man rode atop stop in front of her. "She certainly showed you what for Branton, you nearly lost your life and honor it seems." Was the melodious voice she heard, and then Brienne felt another smack echo on the back of her head and the blackness enveloped her vision fully.

"Teach that cunt a lesson, she nearly killed me!" Was the harelipped man's voice as a flurry of blows rained down on her, and she felt it a pity he would be the last voice she heard.

Jaime ... I'm sorry, for everything. Her vision went black, and it was difficult to coherently think, but she only felt sadness and regret as Jaime and her father flashed in her mind and even Podrick and Ser Hunt flashed before her as well. And I'm sorry I wasn't a better daughter, Father.

It sounded hollow and was echoed but she heard the melodious voice again, and she thought it was the Father calling her to the heavens."Don't kill her. I know that sword, and I know that face even more so."

She felt like the Stranger was taking her, but that voice filled her with memories of her Renly's name day celebration. High in the halls of the kings who are gone, Jenny would dance with her ghosts. Sung the sweet voice of a man whose face she couldn't remember.