He swung his sword around then and I put my blade up to block it. My feet danced across the packed dirt as we circled around each other.
"You move well," he commented before looking me over, "for a fragile lady-like woman,"
My eyes hardened at that just as he lunged at me. I blocked it instantly as he came at me again and again. I frowned as I charged him with my own blade.
"You shouldn't grimace before you lunge. Gives away the game," he told me and I chewed my lip in concentration, heeding his advice.
He swung again and I parried it once. Twice. Three times. Four, five. Until we were nearing the other side of the bridge. I fended him off ceaselessly before I swung my own sword back at him. He dodged it effortlessly and we were face-to-face again, swords aimed at each other.
"Bit of a quandary for you. If you kill me, you know what you'll be losing," he said, making my heart beat faster at his implication, "But if you don't kill me, you know I'll escape,"
He dove at me with his sword and I fended it off, our blades clanking loudly in the air as metal slid on metal. I held my own as he held his blade to mine. He neared my face then, his warm breath mingling with mine.
"You're good. Graceful and good," he said softly, those mesmerizing swirls of emerald boring into me.
My heart sped up but I shoved him away from me. His hands caught him as he landed against the bridge. Picking himself back up, he went at me again. I parried and kicked him in the shin. He glanced back up at me with a grin.
"See? If you were willing to hurt me, you might have had me there," he countered.
Suddenly, I stabbed my blade at him repeatedly. He blocked my advances as I pushed him towards the other side of the bridge. Just when I was about to parry his next blow, another sword clanked against our own. The swords fell out of our hands onto the ground and Jaime was knocked back.
"That's enough sword-practice," Brienne said, shooting me a stern glance, "What would your mother say?"
"Nothing good, I'm sure." I spat back, angry at the interruption.
Jaime looked up from where he had fallen and shot me a small smile.
"You did well. You did very well, my lady..." he said softly and a crimson blush rose to my cheeks.
The sound of horses' hooves hitting the packed dirt made us both look up. It looked to be about three men riding them. And judging from their scowling faces, they didn't look very friendly. Jaime got up quickly, sword in hand. He stood in front of me protectively and I bit my lip, hiding a smile.
"Looks like your woman's getting the better of you. If you can call that a woman," one of them called out suddenly and my stomach tangled up in knots.
Something about this man was unsettling and made me feel uncomfortable. I think Jaime sensed it because he put a hand over mine. A shock went up my arm from the contact, almost making me pull my hand away. Instead, I grabbed onto his instinctively and held his hand tightly in my own.
"Well, we enjoy a good fight," Jaime lied before continuing, "Flayed Man of House Bolton. A bit gruesome for my taste,"
"You sure he's the one?" another man piped up and my eyes glanced back and forth between them.
What were they talking about? Suddenly, the farmer we'd met earlier appeared.
"That's him, alright," he confirmed and I felt my heart race in my chest, "I saw him fight at the tourney for Ser Willem Frey's wedding,"
No! NO! They were going to take Jaime away! He glanced down at me briefly. I squeezed his hand in fear and he rubbed his thumb over the back of my hand soothingly. They paid the farmer and he walked off happily.
"Let us go. My father will pay you whatever you want," Jaime told him, his voice demanding authority.
"Enough to buy me a new head? If the King in the North hears I had the Kingslayer and let him go, he'll be taking it right off," the man said unkindly.
His next words made my heart clench with fear in my chest.
"I'd rather he takes yours."