"What are you doing here?" Brienne was astonished that Hunt had stayed on at Tarth after her rejection of his proposal.
The man looked in much better health than when Brienne last laid eyes on him. She shivered at the memory of a coarse noose tightening around his throat, strangling the life out of him. She was glad he was not dead, but his presence was baffling.
Hunt approached her, his arms outstretched in a welcome, he closed the space between them, and without warning grabbed Brienne about the waist moving his face towards hers, Brienne couldn't comprehend what was happening until his lips pursed in an attempt to kiss her. The action incredibly awkward, as Hunt was a near a good foot shorter than Brienne, his kiss meant for her lips landed clumsily at her neck. She shoved him away as Jaime grabbed Hunt by the neck and shoulder landing a smashing blow to the side of his head. Hunt tumbled down to the ground, a look of utter confusion set upon his face.
"What in the Seven Hells do you think you're doing? " Jaime's nostrils flared as he stood over Hunt.
Brienne's mind felt numb, she was dumbstruck by Hunt's actions.
Hunt still sitting on the ground spat blood beside him. "I was greeting my betrothed."
"This is ... Hunt?" Jaime looked at Brienne.
Brienne still in mute shock nodded a reply.
"For your information Ser, you near assaulted my wife. I should have you disembowelled." Jaime looked like he meant his words, placing his hand on his hilt of his sword, a motion to drive the words home.
"Jaime, please stop." Brienne said gently. Jaime turned to look at her, a strange expression etched on his face.
"Did you not get my letter? I refused your proposal."
"I did not." Hunt looked miserable and disappointed; Brienne couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor hedge knight. She extended her arm to help him up. He accepted and she pulled him to his feet with ease.
"It is good to see you are not dead." She knew it was a stupid thing to say, but she wanted to move them along inside, away from Jaime and his temper. Of all the ravens to have lost its way in delivering a message it had been her refusal of Hunt's proposal.
If only fate had been so kind in losing Cersei's murderous commands.
When they had made their way inside the gate Hunt spoke "I apologize, M'Lady, I didn't realize." Hunt said as he rubbed his jaw. Brienne turned to look at Jaime; his eyes were dark and smouldering.
It suddenly dawned on her that it could be a look of jealousy. She quickly dismissed the thought, and instead focused on the open courtyard of her home. It was strange how small everything seemed to her now. The main courtyard was less than half the size of the minor ones at Casterly Rock, she had never noticed the crumbled mortar, or cracked and fallen bricks. She was glad to be home but couldn't help but wonder what Jaime was thinking.
As they made their way into the hall she requested food for their men. She was pleased to see that many of the servants had genuinely missed her; near all had beaming grins plastered on their faces at the sight of her, even a few embraces were shared, many offered condolences for her father's passing. It touched her heart to hear the kind words. Jaime was at her side, his expression no longer strange to her, he now carried a pleasant smile.
When they had finished their supper Brienne gave instructions for their party to be housed comfortably she place her hand on Jaime's and told him, "I wish to visit my father's grave."
"I'll come with you,"
"No, I want to go alone." Brienne looked at him apologetically.
"Of course," Jaime kissed her; she couldn't help but notice when her lips pulled away from his how his gaze was directed at Hyle Hunt who was sitting in the far corner of the hall.
The graveyard was not far from the castle walls; her family plots were nestled underneath giant ancient trees a spot sheltered from strong winds, she could hear the sea waves crashing against the shore in the distance. It was a peaceful spot, a place that she did not visit often as a child, being so young when she had lost so much, she didn't feel the pull to sit and speak to the dead. Buried together was her older brother, two infant sisters, mother, and now a fifth grave, for her father Lord Selwyn Tarth. She knelt at the small rocky cairn and thought of her father, how she had stubbornly refused to marry despite his effort, how defeated he seemed when the few proposals she had fell away. He died thinking he was the last... bitter tears fell from her face. He had been a loving and kind man who had tried to do the best he could with a daughter such as herself. Brienne kissed her finger tips and patted the ground where he lay. "Good-bye father."
She was half way to the castle when she saw Hunt walking towards her on the path.
"Lady Brienne," Hunt greeted her.
"What do you want?" Brienne asked. She wasn't in the mood to converse with anyone, let alone Hyle Hunt.
"I need to speak with you, I wanted to explain myself, and I didn't feel comfortable trying to have words with you in the company of your husband. I don't think he likes me much."
"No he does not." Brienne affirmed.
She felt like telling him to leave her be, but her curiosity forced her to bite her lip.
"Go on..."
"When Stoneheart let you go, I hoped you would run away and never return, hoped you would run back home. I knew you wouldn't do that though. Knew you'd come back with that Lannister to get the boy. Not me, but for the boy I knew you would." The mention of poor Podrick caused Brienne's heart to ache.
"I escaped the night you left; it was too risky to take the boy with me. I'm sorry for that. I was hoping to follow you, to find you, but the Queen's men found me first. She was searching for her brother, and for you."
"Me?" Brienne was surprised.
"There was rumor that the Kingslay..."
Brienne grabbed Hunt by the throat and squeezed, "His name is Jaime,"
Hunt managed to choke out "Sorry M'Lady...ack... Jaime..."
Brienne let him go.
Hunt rubbed his neck, cleared his throat and continued, "There was a rumor that Ser Jaime was traipsing about in Riverlands with a giant lady knight, and well there was no doubting who that was." Hunt smiled at her.
Brienne still annoyed with his Kingslayer comment refused to look at him.
"I mentioned that I might know who you were, and they took me back to the dungeons of Kingslanding. They held me for days or weeks, months... I don't even know. The Queen finally came to my cell and asked me to request your hand. She gave me gold to offer as dowry and arranged travel for Tarth, you could see it was an offer I could not deny. Your father agreed and wrote to you, but we never heard back. When I saw you this morning at the gates I thought you were coming home to accept personally."
Brienne couldn't believe the lengths Cersei Lannister had gone to, all in an effort to separate her from Jaime. She near succeeded... remembering the horrible cold night where she almost bled and froze to death.
"There's more..." Hunt continued. "The woman your father was with, she remains here in the castle."
Brienne's head snapped back. How could I have been so stupid? She had forgotten entirely about the woman who was in the Queen's charge. The woman who most likely was the instrument in her father's murder was still here. Brienne quickened her stride.
"M'lady what are you going to do?" Hunt hurried to keep pace with Brienne.
"My fathers death will have the justice he deserves." Brienne said her blue eyes flashed.