Dismissed by Ser Jaime in the midst of his duties, Daven stepped out of the tent and breathed in the cool morning air while cataloguing his next tasks - message to the Freys, see to the horses, make sure that everyone leaves Ser Jaime alone for a few hours. He chuckled at this - if Ser Bronn was around, he would barge in regardless. Not wholly unwelcome, but he didn't want to be there to see it if Ser Jaime's mood hadn't improved.
Turning East, he saw dust rising along the road that led from the hill that overlooked the camp. In the morning light, the sun's rays made the dust almost glitter. It must be the river scouts returning he thought. But as the horses got closer he realized that the numbers didn't match - six had left three days before, and now there were eight including one who was riding faster, ahead of the group, and the ones in the middle did not carry the Lannister sigil, or any sigil for that matter. One of them - his eyes went wide.
He knew that armor; he had commissioned that armor secretly at the request of Ser Jaime. He recalled getting strange glances from the armorers when he specified the dimensions and the color - they'd never fitted anyone for blue armor before, and they seemed suspicious about the measurements but they'd been paid off accordingly and the secret, as far as Daven knew, had been kept safe - at least long enough for her to get away from the capital. And now that same armor was riding in this direction, he was sure of it.
As the group crossed the perimeter of the camp, the sun rose just enough above the hill from whence they'd come to highlight the blue rider's bright yellow hair with a firey glow. There was no question - Brienne of Tarth was here.
The steward nearly tripped over himself and rushed back into the tent. Ser Jaime had leaned back in his chair but had not yet moved from his spot at the war table, half armored. The knight was startled and annoyed by his steward's reappearance, and alarmed by his demeanor. "What is it?" he spat.
"My Lord the river scouts are returning and -" "On time for once," Jaime interrupted. "No wonder, there aren't many brothels between here and the Twins, though-" "Ser Jaime!" The leader of the Lannister army was startled to silence by his steward's interruption and dropped his good arm to the table with an audible thud.
"There's a woman with them." "They stole a woman? ""No." Daven was exasperated now, which did not improve Jaime's mood, "My lord they ride for the camp and I believe..." Jaime stood and looked at the squire expectantly. "Yes?" "Lady Brienne is with them."
All that you rely on
Jaime's jaw dropped and his face seemed to sink inward. This was the last thing he had expected to hear. His mind reeled - Why was she here? How? What were the scouts doing with her? Had she been hurt? At this, he picked up his sword and belted it around him. "Where?" "They'll be here any moment my lord."
Jaime rushed out of the tent ahead of the steward, nearly barreling into a soldier who had been approaching. It was the captain of the scouts who had ridden ahead to alert Ser Jaime to their visitors. Jaime ignored the captain's shouts of "My lord!" and began scouring the throng of soldiers, finally catching sight of her. Her back was to him just as it had been the last time he'd seen her. And just like that last time, he unconsciously began walking toward her as if being reeled in on a line. The captain trailing behind him "My lord, there is - " "Yes, yes, I see, dismissed!" he shouted angrily without tearing his eyes from her.
And all that you can save
The captain stood dumbly as Jaime walked away from him. The other scouts had already dismounted and were standing around while their quarry saw to their horses. They witnessed their commander's dismissal of the captain and disbanded as Jaime approached, his mouth half-open in shock, his damp eyes glued to the woman he thought he'd never see again. The sun had risen and everything seemed to be on fire save for her. The cool blue of the armor was like an oasis.
On the other side of her horse, Podrick Payne turned around and spied the leader of the Lannister army, the man who'd helped him escape harm in the capital, and grinned before offering a low bow. But Jaime didn't see him. He walked until he was within arms length of her as she watered her horse and stroked its mane, ignorant that he was close as he was. Suddenly he realized that his headache was gone.
Will leave you in the morning
And find you in the day
"Brienne."
A/N: I do not own Game of Throne or these characters; some dialogue may be taken verbatim from HBO's Game of Thrones or George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire. Lyrics used are directly from Andrew Belle's "In My Veins" (C) 2010.