Chapter Forty-two
By the time Bran finished with Jaime, nearly an hour had passed and Jaime was eager to get back to Brienne. He had no idea who had been waiting for her in the king's solar, and he was desperate to find out. He'd questioned Bran, of course, but had only received a vague reply in return.
The instant Bran let Jaime go, he raced back to where he had left Brienne, hoping to find her still there, but she was gone. As Jaime stopped to catch his breath, every muscle in his body tensed and his heart beat a little faster. He tried to convince himself that Brienne wasn't in any real danger, and yet, the fear he felt was palpable.
Intent on finding Brienne, Jaime turned and headed toward the White Sword Tower, but when he arrived there, the common room was empty and there was no answer at the door to her private chamber. Not knowing where else to turn, Jaime set off toward the Tower of the Hand, hoping Brienne was waiting for him there.
As Jaime made his way to his own chamber, he passed Tyrion's solar, stopping the moment he heard voices inside. He listened for a moment, surprised to hear Brienne's voice lilting to him from the other side of the door. Although her words were muffled, indistinct, there was no mistaking her voice. It was the same voice that haunted all his dreams.
Still apprehensive about who had come to visit his future bride, Jaime held his breath as he knocked on the door. A moment later, Tyrion said, "Come in," and Jaime stepped inside.
Jaime's eyes went straight to the table in the center of the room and to the four figures seated there: Tyrion, Sansa, Brienne, and an older gentleman whom Jaime didn't recognize. Whoever the man was, Jaime suspected he was Brienne's visitor, and he knew he needed to be on his best behavior in case the man turned out to be someone important.
"Ah, Jaime," Tyrion said, lifting his glass in mock salute. "We've been waiting for you."
"Have you?" he asked, his eyes flitting to Brienne. "I've been with the king this whole time. It took me forever to find you."
"That's quite all right," Brienne replied. "Come in, Jaime. There's someone I want you to meet."
Jaime closed the door behind him and reluctantly moved farther into the room. Tyrion sat at the head of the table with Sansa to his left and their guest to his right. Brienne sat beside her visitor, and even though the chair across from her was empty, Jaime chose not to take it. Instead, he just stood there awkwardly at the far end of the table, waiting for someone to tell him what was going on.
"Jaime," Brienne began, her voice soft and warm, "allow me to present my father, Lord Selwyn Tarth."
Jaime's eyes were instantly on the older man again. When he'd first entered the room, Jaime hadn't really taken a good look at him, but now that he had, he realized that the resemblance was undeniable. Though a little wrinkled around the edges, the sapphire blue eyes staring back at him were Brienne's eyes, and there was a dignity about the man that spoke of great honor and personal pride, just like Brienne. In fact, after careful examination, Jaime was certain there wasn't a man in all the realm more suited to be Brienne's father than the one sitting before him.
Jaime had never met Lord Selwyn Tarth before, though their paths had likely crossed at some point in the past. Selwyn was a minor lord, a vassal of House Baratheon, and it was more than likely that he had been to court once or twice in his life, though because of his lesser status, Jaime would hardly have taken notice.
"Lord Tarth," Jaime said slowly, being careful not to trip over his words. "It is an honor to finally meet you."
"Lord Lannister." Selwyn nodded in Jaime's direction, eyeing him with unabashed judgment. It was clear that Brienne had gotten a great deal of her own courage from the man before him. Even though Jaime was one of the most renowned knights in all the Six Kingdoms, Selwyn Tarth looked like he would have no qualms about challenging Jaime to single combat if Brienne's honor were at stake.
Brienne cleared her throat, filling the awkward silence that had settled between them. "Apparently," she said, "Bran sent word of our wedding to my father weeks ago, long before either you or I knew that there would even be a wedding, which is how he was able to make it here on such short notice."
Jaime dragged his eyes away from Lord Selwyn, unnerved by the other man's forthright stare. He turned his attention to Brienne, grateful for the distraction. "Nothing Bran does surprises me anymore," he said. "I'm just glad he bothered to tell us about the wedding before it was too late." Jaime paused, taking a moment to fortify himself before forcing his gaze back to Selwyn. "Welcome to King's Landing, Lord Tarth. I am most pleased that you will be here for the wedding."
Without responding to Jaime's words, Selwyn pushed himself up from his chair and stood to his full height. "Well, now that we've been formally introduced, I'd like a private word with you, Lord Lannister."
"Jaime, please," he replied as calmly as he could. The last thing he wanted was a private audience with Brienne's father, but he knew there was no way out of it.
Jaime threw a desperate look at Tyrion, begging for help, but Tyrion just shrugged, an amused smile on his face. Then, Jaime turned to Brienne, not the least bit comforted by the sympathetic softness in her eyes.
"It's all right," she said, "my father would just like to get to know you a little before he gives us his blessing."
"If he gives you his blessing," Selwyn corrected.
Jaime's heart dropped like a dead weight as he turned back to his future father-in-law. Clearly, Lord Selwyn Tarth wanted to settle a few things between them before he allowed Jaime to marry his only surviving daughter, and Jaime wasn't at all prepared for it. Having long set his sights solely on his sister's affection, Jaime had never had to seek the approval of anyone's father before. But now, that's exactly the situation he found himself in. And even though Brienne was a grown woman and more than capable of making her own decisions, honor and tradition dictated that Jaime should have her father's blessing before they wed.
Jaime didn't know how to respond. He remained still and silent until Brienne was forced to reach out and gently place her hand on his arm. "Go with him," she urged, "and hurry back so that we can enjoy a quiet dinner together as a family."
But the look in Selwyn's eyes made Jaime doubt that was even possible. Suddenly, he feared facing Brienne's father even more than he had once feared facing Bran, but he knew he had no choice but to go with him. Jaime lowered his head in deference to Lord Selwyn. "Please, lead the way."
Selwyn turned around and headed out onto the terrace outside Tyrion's solar, and Jaime reluctantly followed. He wished he'd had time to prepare for this encounter. Although he'd always known he couldn't avoid Selwyn Tarth forever, he had assumed that when they finally met, Brienne would already be his wife and he'd be bouncing a baby or two on his knee. Now, however, Jaime was at a distinct disadvantage. Despite all his lofty titles—Master of War, Lord of Casterly Rock, Lord Paramount of the Westerlands—for all intents and purposes, he was nothing more than a nervous suitor who was about to face his beloved's father for the very first time.
Selwyn walked to the balustrade overlooking the city, and Jaime joined him. They stood beside the stone wall, both looking out over the lights below, and Jaime could feel his stomach twisting in knots, the bile rising in his throat. In his time, he'd fought some of the most skilled swordsmen in all of Westeros—he'd even come face-to-face with a dragon and lived to tell the tale—but nothing could compare to facing Selwyn Tarth. Lord Selwyn held Jaime's life in his hands as surely as if he held a blade to his throat. All Selwyn had to do was deny Jaime his blessing and he would be torn from Brienne forever.
For a long time, they just stood there, neither one saying a word. Jaime refused to speak until spoken to, afraid that if he started talking, he would simply make a mess of things. So it was Selwyn who finally broke the silence.
"Do you know what I thought when I first received word that my daughter was about to marry the infamous Kingslayer?"
Jaime flinched. He hated that word as much as he hated wights and White Walkers and the Dornish bastards who had murdered Myrcella. He hated it, not only because it was undeserved, but because it pared his entire life down to a single defining moment, a moment that had been misconstrued by almost everyone. He was more than that one moment, though very few seemed to know it.
But Jaime couldn't say that to Lord Selwyn, so he simply turned to him and replied, "I have no idea."
"I thought that it was some kind of joke," Selwyn said, finally looking up at Jaime. "For various reasons, Brienne has always been the kind of girl that men have taken pleasure in humiliating. When I first heard the news that the two of you were to be wed, I thought it was a cruel trick, that you were toying with her affections for some sick, twisted reason. After all, you are a Lannister, and if half the things I've heard about you are true, then you are more than capable of tormenting my daughter for your own amusement."
Although it pained Jaime to hear himself talked about in such a manner, nothing pained him more than the accusation that he would willfully hurt Brienne. He knew he wasn't worthy of her, but that didn't mean he wasn't capable of loving her the way she deserved to be loved.
Jaime inhaled a shaky breath, willing himself to speak even though he knew Selwyn wasn't quite finished. "I would never hurt Brienne," he said, his voice heavy with conviction. "I know what you must think of me, I know what the whole world thinks of me, but nothing could be further from the truth."
Selwyn's expression remained unchanged, a clear sign that he was still unconvinced. "My daughter has been deceived before," he replied. "Despite outward appearances, she is a trusting soul with a soft heart. She has always been eager for love, whether she is willing to admit it or not, and I will stand against any man who means to take advantage of her or do her harm. She has worked hard to get where she is, sacrificed things that no woman should ever have to sacrifice, and I must admit, I am confounded by the idea that she would willingly give it all up to become the wife of Jaime Lannister. She deserves better than to be with a man who is unworthy of her, and unless you can convince me that you are worthy, I will not give you my blessing."
Jaime had never been particularly good at making speeches—that had always been Tyrion's gift—but now, the only thing that could save him were words. If he didn't convince Selwyn Tarth that he loved Brienne, that he was worthy of Brienne, the wedding would be off, the king's blessing be damned.
"If that is what you require," Jaime replied, "then we will have to call off the wedding, because I am not worthy of Brienne and I never will be. Though I would go so far as to say that there is not a single man in this world who will ever truly be worthy of her. I confess, I have committed a great many sins in my life, and I can assure you that much, if not all, of what you've heard is true. I know that means I don't even deserve to spend time in your daughter's company, much less be her husband. But she loves me and I love her, and even though I don't deserve that kind of happiness, she does, and I would never let anyone take that away from her. Brienne wants to be my wife, and if you refuse to give her your blessing, she will be heartbroken. As for me though, I know I don't deserve your blessing, but I would hope that, for Brienne's sake, you would bestow it upon us anyway."
A trace of a smile curved Selwyn's lips, and Jaime couldn't tell what he was thinking.
"Why do you love my daughter?" Selwyn asked, keeping his eyes keenly trained on Jaime's face.
"I love her because she is the kindest, gentlest, most honorable person I have ever known. She made me the man I am today. Without her influence, I would still be the cold, selfish, uncaring bastard I was before we met. She turned me away from my father and my sister and the dictates of House Lannister and made me see that there was goodness in the world, that honor could still thrive even in such dark and dangerous times. I admire her greatly, which is why I made her a knight. At the time, I didn't know we would end up like this, and I thought it was the least I could do for her. She is more knightly than any man I have ever known, and I've never met anyone who deserved the title more."
Selwyn's eyes narrowed on Jaime. "You're the one who knighted Brienne?" he asked, a tinge of disbelief in his tone.
Jaime was surprised that Selwyn didn't know the truth, but then, he supposed Brienne hadn't been too eager to share that part of the story. After all, for months after she'd been knighted, she'd still believed that he'd returned to King's Landing to be with Cersei. Jaime hoped that this unexpected revelation would gain him some ground with Selwyn, though he wasn't sure of anything at the moment.
"I am the one who knighted her, yes," Jaime answered, keeping his voice calm and even, refusing to allow the slightest hint of pride into his words.
Selwyn nodded thoughtfully, as if trying to absorb this new piece of information. Finally, he said, "If that is true, why did she never tell me?"
"I imagine it was because she was angry with me. Until fairly recently, there was a grave misunderstanding between us, a misunderstanding that was wholly my fault, and I'm sure it was easier for Brienne to simply omit that little detail. But it is true. You may ask my brother or Ser Podrick or Ser Davos. They were all there that night, the night before the Battle of Winterfell. I knighted Brienne in the Great Hall, and she fought to protect the living while bearing the title she has always deserved."
Selwyn was quiet for a moment, his eyes focused on Jaime as he weighed his words carefully. After a long pause, he turned toward the balustrade again and stared out over the city. The lights were shining brightly below, a sure sign that King's Landing was finally on the mend, but Jaime barely noticed. He kept his eyes on Selwyn, hoping that he was about to receive his blessing and not his condemnation.
After what seemed like ages, Selwyn began to speak. "You clearly know that Brienne is a very special person. There is not another like her in all of Westeros. She is not only the kindest, gentlest, most honorable person you have ever known, but the kindest, gentlest, most honorable person I have ever known. And while I would like to take all the credit for that, I can't. Although I have tried to instill my own values in my daughter, the truth is, she's a far better person than I have ever been. She's just inherently good and decent and honorable, and she deserves a man who is all of those things as well. And from what I've heard, you are none of those things, Jaime Lannister."
Selwyn finally turned his head to look at Jaime again, and every muscle in Jaime's body tensed.
"But," Selwyn continued, "the fact that you can see the good in Brienne, the beauty in her, tells me a great deal about your character. She never gives her heart easily. If you've earned her love, there must be a very good reason for it, beyond your looks, title, and wealth. Brienne has never cared about such things, so I must assume that there is something deeper within you that I cannot fully see. My daughter is an excellent judge of character, and I know she would never put her trust, or her affection, where it wasn't warranted."
Halfway through Selwyn's speech, Jaime had stopped breathing. But now, he was finally able to take in a lungful of air as a sense of relief washed over him. "Does . . . does this mean we have your blessing?" Jaime asked, barely able to get the words out.
"Brienne has my blessing to do what she believes is best for her own life. She has for a long time now. I trust her judgment. And if you're the one she wants, then you're the one she will have. Yes, you have my blessing, my boy. Just swear to me that you will never hurt her and that you will live to prove yourself worthy of her love."
"I swear it," Jaime said without a moment's hesitation. "By the old gods and the new. By every god that has ever had the misfortune to rule over this hellish earth. I swear it by all that I hold dear."
A wry smile crossed Selwyn's lips, and a short laugh escaped his throat. "You know, you may prove yourself worthy of her yet." He turned toward Tyrion's solar and motioned for Jaime to follow. "Come," he said, "let's go have dinner as a family. I've always wanted a son."
Jaime's throat constricted with emotion, and he had to force himself to turn around and follow Selwyn. Even though he and Brienne had yet to take their vows, he could already feel his life changing. All of a sudden, he had a new family and a new future to look forward to, and it was all wonderfully overwhelming. Tonight, happiness awaited him in Tyrion's solar, and on the morrow, he would finally marry the woman of his dreams.