Sarah finally sent the raven which she longed to see fly into the skies above her. She wrote the message to her father, telling him what had happened to her and Shireen. She had been inconsolable without her sister. Every moment which passed caused her to grieve further. Her travels with Jaime and Brienne had been spent in silence for the majority of it. She had eaten, slept and walked. That was Sarah's existence until she received word.
"Your sister is being returned to Dragonstone."
Sarah looked up from the tree which she leant against. Her arms were still folded over her knees, her chin resting on their caps as she waited for sleep to take her like it usually did. She rarely allowed herself to drift off, finding it better to let exhaustion claim her in the end.
"Excuse me?" Sarah replied, looking up to see Jaime stood above her, a flagon of wine in his hands as he drained the contents of it. He took a seat next to her on the moist ground and Sarah wondered where he had gotten the wine from. She also wondered where Brienne was considering she was not holding Jaime's chains in her firm grasp.
"Your sister is going back to the dark and damp place you call home," Jaime drawled back and offered Sarah the wine. "Brienne is currently unconscious behind some true. Escaping her gaze was easy. You should be grateful I did; that is how I found out about your sister."
She took it from his hands, holding it delicately whilst Jaime eyed her with suspicion and she lowered her gaze from his.
"How do you know that?" Sarah wondered back and Jaime's head hit the tree trunk, his eyes closing as tiredness took hold of his body. "Jaime!" she snapped at him, hitting him around the arm to snap his attention back to her.
"I managed to leave Brienne behind," Jaime drawled back. "I spoke with the woman who owns the tavern in the small village. It is filled with Frey men so I naturally stayed outside...the woman had no idea who I was when she came out and bumped into me. Fortunately my charms stopped her from raising the alarm. She informed me of all that was happening. Apparently Robb Stark found himself in custody of your sister and returned her to Dragonstone. I doubt my sister will be happy when word reaches her in King's Landing."
Sarah gulped and closed her eyes, a sense of relief taking hold of her. She allowed her lips to rise at the thought of her sister finding safety once more. She had been foolish to drag her from Dragonstone, but Sarah thought that she had been doing the right thing. She knew now that the only place Shireen was truly safe was Dragonstone.
"Are you certain?" Sarah checked and Jaime rolled his eyes and chuckled darkly.
"You need to have a bit more faith in me, Sarah," Jaime urged her. "You know that I would not lie to you about your sister. I am not that much of a cruel man."
Sarah said nothing and drained the wine which he had handed her. Jaime's eyes widened and he snatched the flagon back from her, a look of annoyance passing on her features as he did so.
"Do you remember the last time you drank too much wine?" Jaime asked from her and Sarah scoffed loudly, a small laugh passing through her lips as she did so.
She took a moment to think back about what happened on her first night in King's Landing. She had been there all of four hours before she tarnished her reputation. She recalled how people laughed at her; how they mocked her looks and said she would never find a husband. She suspected they had been right.
Jaime watched her with interest for a few moments as the smile left her lips and she looked downtrodden for that moment. She had yet to alter much. Her hair had grown down her back and dirt covered the dark red gown she wore. Brienne had acquired a cloak for the girl, but it was too large for her and covered her curves, hiding them from view. Her face looked gaunt and her hair hung limply around her face.
He suspected she still looked much better than he did. He could feel his entire body ache, his feet bearing the brunt of the pain. His clothes were turning to rags around him and dirt covered his face, his hair and beard mangled together to obscure his recognisable features.
"What are you thinking of?" Jaime suddenly wondered and Sarah shook her head.
She looked to the night sky, the darkness engulfing them and Sarah contemplated going to check on Brienne if Jaime's words had been true. Truth be told, she had scarcely gotten along with the blonde woman. She had spent most of her time cowering from Brienne as she looked at her with some form of resentment. It was only when she heard that Brienne had been part of Renly's guard did Sarah understand why the woman disliked her.
"My first night in King's Landing." Sarah admitted to him. "I suppose times were simpler back then...even marriage to Robb Stark may have been preferable in comparison to what is happening in the Seven Kingdoms now."
Jaime followed her gaze into the sky as she adjusted her position on the floor. She curled her legs underneath her, turning her head to the side to look at Jaime as she used one hand to hold her upper body weight. Her cloak fell around her body and covered her dirtying red dress before she pushed her hair over one shoulder.
"And did you really care for Robb Stark?" Jaime asked, intrigue taking hold of him.
"He was an honourable man."
"Yes," Jaime replied. "The Starks are known for their honour, but look at how that worked out for dead Ned."
Sarah winced at his words and made a move to stand up. "You do not need to be so cruel," she warned Jaime. "I am going to find Brienne and make sure you have not killed her."
"It would not be in my best interest to kill her," Jaime scoffed. "Although I would very much love to. No, I could run and leave her now if I wished to."
"So why have you not?" Sarah wondered and Jaime also made a move to stand up.
"We are surrounded by Northerners for the time being," Jaime replied. "I would be foolish to try and best her now."
"So you intend to try and best her later on?" Sarah checked. "What does it matter? She is taking you back to your sister in King's Landing. You have nothing to gain by leaving her and you know that."
Jaime watched as Sarah bent down, taking hold of the chain which dangled down from his waist. An amused brow arched on his forehead as Sarah glowered at him and he remained entertained.
"I can scarcely leave you alone. Brienne would possibly kill me if she learnt you had escaped in my company," Sarah said. "I do not need another reason for her to hate me further."
"And you think that you can force me to move?" Jaime checked with her, standing his ground as Sarah pulled on the chain around his waist, trying to get him to move forwards. He laughed loudly as he moved his bound hands to take hold of the chain, pulling it back to him and watching as Sarah fell to the floor from the force of his movements.
"You bastard," Sarah scoffed at him, kneeling on all fours before Jaime shook his head and offered her his hand.
"I could scarcely resist, Princess. It is hardly my fault you are so pathetically weak," he joked and Sarah pushed his hand away, hauling herself to her feet as her cheeks reddened with anger and she pushed at Jaime's chest.
He had to admit that he was not prepared for the shove which he received and he stumbled back to the tree.
"Why is everything a joke to you?" Sarah snapped at him, her blood boiling. "Do you think me so pathetic? I am not as weak as you seem to think."
Jaime noted the scarlet colour forming on her cheeks and he took a moment or two to regard her, knowing that there was something deeper inside of her. It almost appeared as though she had so many emotions bottled that she could not help but let them out. It usually just happened when Jaime was around her.
"I know what people think of me," Sarah snapped. "I know what people say about my father and his daughters. I am well aware of that. I have had to live with it for all my life...and now...all I wanted was to save my sister from my father and I could not manage that. I could not keep the one person I truly love safe. Do you think I need constantly reminding how I am weak?"
Jaime had to admit himself shocked as he saw Sarah's black hair tousled around her face and he looked at her with intrigue. A small gulp ran through his throat as tears finally fell down Sarah's face and she felt her legs weaken underneath her.
"I do not think you pathetic," Jaime suddenly informed her and she shook her head, her upper lip curling as she did so.
"Do not lie."
"I am not lying," Jaime responded. "The Seven Kingdoms are at war. Your father is vying to become King and you run away with your sister because of the rumours which surround him and his new priestess. You spend your days protecting her like any sibling would. I suspect you lasted longer than anyone thought you would."
Sarah kept silent as she stared at Jaime and he glanced back at her, tears still pouring down her cheeks and her eyes reddened. He had to admit that she looked worse for wear, but he could not tell her that. He did not know what came over him whenever he was in her presence. There was something about Sarah Baratheon which he could not put his finger on.
"When we near King's Landing we shall see you off to Dragonstone," Jaime spoke slowly.
"But...if your sister knew..."
"Cersei does not need to know," Jaime said. "Dragonstone is the safest place for you now."
"And you would go against her to let me go?" Sarah checked back and Jaime shrugged nonchalantly.
"I know that the Capital is not safe for any Baratheon," Jaime told her. "Consider this my one good act. I would not get used to them happening that often. I suggest you wipe your eyes. Tears are pointless."
Sarah wiped her eyes with the back of her hand but her orbs still remained moist. "I failed Shireen and I know I did. Dragonstone...my father...he will detest me for what I did...nowhere is safe..."
Jaime took a moment to watch Sarah take hold of her cloak and pulled it tighter around her body in the dark night air. She felt the wind rustle for a moment and then looked sternly at Jaime.
"Will you come with me to find Brienne or do I have to go alone?" she wondered back and Jaime shook his head.
"I will come," he said. "Although I assure you she is still alive and not far away."
Sarah led the way, constantly tripping over her cloak or dress as she went, almost losing her footing but gaining it again at the last moment. Jaime walked behind her until they finally came to Brienne's unconscious form and Sarah looked satisfied, bending down to check she was still breathing.
"I told you," Jaime spoke. "Now, we should get some rest for the evening. I suspect we have a long day tomorrow."
Sarah remained stood whilst Jaime slumped down the tree and closed his eyes. She finally knelt on the ground and did as Jaime had suggested, blissfully unaware of what was lurking the following day.