Author's Note: Thank you for the nice reviews! Another chapter for you here. I will mostly follow the book storyline from here on out so don't be confused if events aren't exactly the same as they were in season 2. However, a couple more scenes from the show will still make appearances including this one cause it was a pretty kick ass introduction to one of my favorite characters. Enjoy!
Amarah made a valiant effort not to give into the overwhelming urge to begin tapping her delicate foot in an irritated rhythm. They had been at this for weeks now. It was always the same. Renly would move through the southlands using his charm and charisma to convince the different lords to help him in his effort to take the Iron Throne and they would add thousands to his already existing army. After gaining the extra forces, Renly would host a tournament for his own amusement and to assess the battle skills of his men.
This was where they sat now as Amarah watched two soldiers struggle in the midst of the muddy field trying to tear one another apart. While Robb was courageously winning victories over the much more experienced Lannister forces, Renly sat here playing at war. This was the thought that forced Amarah to resist the urge to give in to some gesture that indicated her extreme impatience. Every day Renly stalled the attack on the capital they were losing precious time. She had brought up the discussion with him once about the ill-advised delay, but he told her that there was no need to worry. He knew exactly what he was doing. She was not entirely convinced of that, but she knew it would be pointless to argue with him. So she sat and watched, day after day.
She had written to Robb, just as she had intended, to propose an alliance between himself and Renly. Since she had already suspected that Robb possessed no intention of taking the Iron Throne, she was unsurprised when he agreed to her plan. Combining the Stark forces with Renly's army would significantly increase their chances of defeating the Lannisters. He had sent a raven to her days ago promising to send an envoy to propose the alliance with Renly. That is what she waited for now. Trying to turn her mind to other things so as not to prolong the agony of waiting, she once again focused her gaze on the exchange of blows that ensued before her.
Loras Tyrell was battling on foot against some knight that was unknown to Amarah. He looked unfamiliar but still formidable. Despite his height which could sometimes prove a disadvantage to less experienced knights, he dominated the match with Loras forcing the smaller man to lose his footing in the slippery sand. Once Loras had fallen, he was unable to rise again with the giant knight leaping on his chest and holding a menacing looking dagger to his throat. With a look of supreme annoyance, the young Tyrell finally yielded to the unnamed knight. Looking past the pair with an amused smile at Loras's defeat, Amarah had to contain the sudden urge to leap from her chair when her eyes met those of her Aunt Catelyn.
She would have noticed her arrival earlier had her concentration had not been on other matters. But now that she saw her here, she realized that Robb had sent his mother as the envoy to convince Renly to join forces with him. Giving an almost imperceptible nod, she let her aunt know that she already knew her purpose for being there. Catelyn accepted her niece's recognition and waited for Renly to notice her presence as well. Currently, however, he was occupied with the knight who had bested his lover, much to the latter's apparent humiliation. Amarah might have felt some sympathy for the young knight if hadn't have been such an arrogant ass during the entirety of their acquaintance. As it was, she would not deny that it was a supreme pleasure watching him get knocked down a peg or two.
Giving a generous clap for the knight's victory, Renly called him over. "Well fought! Approach."
Once the long-legged knight had arrived at the wooden platform where they sat, Renly commanded him to remove his helmet. Even Amarah, who was more adept than anyone in Westeros at hiding their emotions, could not stifle a surprised gasp at the knight's identity. How it had escaped her notice before was beyond her comprehension but there stood a woman. A very tall, strong, even ugly woman but a woman nonetheless. Well, this was certainly proving to be a more interesting day than she had originally thought.
"Who are you?" she could not stop the question before it left her mouth.
The knight turned to acknowledge her for a brief moment before giving an answer. "Brienne of Tarth, my lady."
"Brienne comes to us from the Sapphire Islands" Renly informed Amarah who sat to his right-hand side on the dais before returning his attention to the lady knight. "You are everything your father promised and more, my lady. I have seen Ser Loras bested once or twice before but never quite in that fashion."
"Now, now, my love" interrupted Margaery from Renly's other side. "My brother fought valiantly for you."
Amarah gave an inward smile at Margary's loyal defense of Loras. She had spent a great deal of time in the company of her uncle's bride as they were the only ladies of high rank present in the camp, and Amarah found she somewhat liked the aspiring queen-to-be. She was manipulative of course, but she was honest about it. After all, Amarah could not deny that she was manipulative herself even if it was for a less selfish purpose than Margaery. So she would not hold that against the girl. And while she may have possessed Cersei's thirst for power, Margaery seemed to lack the lion queen's meanness of spirit. Amarah would never presume to call her a friend, but they had some sort of tenuous relationship. One that could be snapped in an instant by the turning tide, but for now it held together.
Attempting to turn her concentration once again to the mysterious knight before her, Amarah heard Renly offer the woman anything she would ask of him. Amarah was curious what such a knight would ask from a presumed king, so she listened attentively for the lady's reply.
Brienne kneeled before him as she made her request. "Your grace, I ask the honor of a place in your king's guard." For the second time that day, Amarah could not keep the surprise from her face. It was not an answer she had expected and by the reactions of those around her, neither did they. "I will be one of your seven" the lady continued unperturbed. "Pledge my life to yours and keep you safe from all harm."
There were a few moments of silence as all turned to see what Renly's response would be to this outrageous request. Never had a woman served as a member of the king's guard. "Done!" Renly finally replied almost happily. "Rise Brienne of the king's guard!"
Amarah and Margaery joined in with light applause as the newly honored knight rose to her feet. They gave each other skeptical gazes at Renly's decision but both were wise enough to hold their tongues. It wasn't that Amarah did not think Brienne possessed the skill necessary to serve her uncle, she just didn't see why the woman would want such a position in the first place. However, she planned to find that answer to that riddle as soon as possible. Pushing those thoughts from her head, she drew Renly's attention to the more important matter at hand.
"Uncle, my Aunt Catelyn is here to request an audience with you." Renly looked in the direction Amarah had gestured and good naturedly waved the waiting noblewoman forward.
"Lady Catelyn" he greeted her warmly. "You are most welcome here. May I present my wife, Margaery of House Tyrell. And of course you are already well acquainted with my niece Lady Amarah of the House Baratheon."
Amarah let Margaery give the official greeting but she gave her aunt a warm smile that indicated her pleasure at her appearance. Catelyn nodded in greeting before looking to Margaery. "You are very welcome here, Lady Stark" she greeted her. "I'm so sorry for your loss."
Margaery did not sound insincere precisely but the casual reminder of her husband's death caused Catelyn's face to tighten as if she was trying to hold some sort of unwanted emotion at bay before replying. "You are most kind." Amarah wanted to say something to comfort her aunt but now was not the time or place. She tried to convey a silent apology to her aunt and received a tired smile in return. It appeared that the last month had taken as much of a toll on her aunt as it had on her. They were both tired of bearing the burdens of the world.
Noticing Amarahs's disturbed expression, Renly gave her hand a comforting squeeze before standing to address her aunt. "I swear to you, I will see the Lannisters pay for your husband's murder. When I take King's Landing, I'll bring you Joffrey's head."
A loud cheer went up at his decree which Amarah declined to join. Her uncle's promise was great indeed but so far he had proved no closer to fulfilling it than weeks before when he had made the same offer. Catelyn seemed as unimpressed at his words as Amarah. "It will be enough to know that justice has been done, my lord."
"Your grace" Brienne automatically interjected into the conversation. "And you should kneel when you approach the king."
Irritated at her presumption Amarah leapt to defend her aunt. "It is not your place to correct the Lady of Winterfell" she replied with a tone frostier than the chilly air that surrounded them. Renly soothed Amarah's temper with a small pat on her arm.
"There's no need for that" he directed at Brienne more kindly than his niece. "Lady Stark is an honored guest."
"Has your son marched against Tywin Lannister yet?" Loras questioned suddenly.
Catelyn turned to regard the young knight with the same condescending look that Amarah so often gave him. "I do not sit on my son's war council, and if I did, I would not share his strategies with you."
"If Lord Stark wants a pact with us, he should come himself" Loras continued. "Not hide behind his mother's skirts."
Just as Catelyn opened her mouth to give a scathing reply to that insult, Amarah grew tired of holding her tongue at his insolence. "My cousin is currently fighting an actual war that requires his undivided attention" she shot back at Loras. "Unlike you who stand on this field fighting your own knights instead of battling our real enemies."
Renly quickly stood to diffuse the mounting tension among those who surrounded him. "There is no need to speak like this" he told them with a pacifying smile. "We are all friends here. Come, Amarah" he offered her his arm. "Let us show your aunt some hospitality."
Taking the proffered arm, she rose to leave the uncomfortable chair she had been occupying for the better part of an hour. She gave Margaery a brief acknowledgement of farewell before letting Renly escort her to her waiting aunt. Once they had reached Catelyn's side, Amarah restrained the impulse to fling herself into her arms and simply grasped both her cold hands in greeting.
Catelyn returned her welcome with a genuine smile before both ladies turned to leave the field on either side of their host. Brienne seemed to think now was as good a time as any to begin her duties as she followed the small trio off the field with a watchful gaze. While they walked along, Amarah saw her aunt take in all that surrounded them.
"I have a hundred thousand men at my command" Renly informed the Lady Stark matter-of-factly. "All the might of the stormlands and the reach."
Catelyn gave an indulgent smile at his boast. 'And all of them young and bold like your Knight of Flowers. It's a game to you isn't it" she said reflecting the same thoughts Amarah had harbored for the past weeks regarding Renly's attitude. "I pity them."
"Why?" he asked.
"Because it won't last. Because they are the knights of summer and winter is coming."
Renly regarded her words with a sardonic smile but said nothing else on the matter. He then turned to Amarah with a kind gaze before he kissed her hands in farewell.
"Why don't you escort your aunt to her tent" he suggested. "She will be tired after her journey. Take Brienne with you."
Amarah looked towards the towering lady knight to see how she would take to that command. She did not look terribly pleased but nor did she argue against the order. "Would you like me to return after?" Brienne asked her king.
He had already begun walking away but called back that she needn't bother. He preferred to pray alone. Amarah smirked at his use of the word "alone". She had a strong suspicion that he would not be alone at all but simply seeking to soothe a certain someone's pride who had been bested by that very lady.
After Renly's departure Amarah finally obeyed the impulse to hug her aunt. Catelyn seemed just as eager to return the gesture and they both stood there for a moment rejoicing in each other's company, heedless of those who looked on. A few moments later Amarah finally pulled back to see a sheen of moisture in her aunt's eyes.
"Oh, my dear" Catelyn whispered, framing Amarah's face in her hands. "When we heard the news from the capital, I feared for your life. I didn't know if we would ever see you again."
"There's no need for tears" Amarah assured her with a kind smile. "I am perfectly well as you see."
Nodding her head in agreement, Catelyn blinked away the tears before following Amarah's lead toward her tent. As they walked along she informed Amarah of all that had happened to Robb since she had received his last correspondence. After remaining in Riverrun for some time, the seat of his mother's house Tully, Robb had moved to invade the Lannister forces in the Westerlands. It appeared that he had left Jaime Lannister in the tower of Riverrun for safekeeping during his siege.
"What exactly are his plans for Kingslayer?" Amarah questioned.
Catelyn replied with a helpless shrug of her shoulders. "I do not know his precise plans for him. Only that he plans to use him for some sort of bargaining leverage against the Lannisters."
"It seems rather dangerous to leave him at Riverrun without you or Robb in attendance" Amarah mused aloud. "I can promise you that Tyrion Lannister will take advantage of any opportunity to free his brother."
Since escaping King's Landing, Amarah had heard from Tyrion only once. He had sent a raven bearing a message for her before she departed Highgarden with Renly's forces. He must have sent it without any one else's knowledge because he informed her not to reply under any circumstances. Seeing as they were now on opposing sides of the war, Amarah understood the request. It would not do for Cersei to discover any kind of correspondence between the two of them.
The note had simply informed her that Tyrion was now the acting Hand at King's Landing and it also contained some very interesting information regarding his sister. She and Tyrion had always enjoyed a bit of gossip with one another so it had been expected for him to place some kind of information regarding such matters in the letter. It seemed that the whore queen had taken up with a new lover since her brother's departure from King's Landing, the half-wit Lancel. Amarah had been surprised at first to discover Cersei's choice of lover but she recalled hearing that Lancel much resembled Jaime Lannister from his youth. She supposed the queen must have a great deal more love for her family than was healthy in a woman.
At the end of the message Tyrion had included a heartfelt apology for what had befallen Ned Stark. If it had come from anyone else, Amarah would have doubted the sincerity behind the words, but she knew that Tyrion meant what he said. If she could have responded she would have told him that he had no need to apologize to her. Ned's death had not been his fault and she sincerely doubted that it would have happened if Tyrion had been present in King's Landing at the time. She made sure, however, not to mention any of this information to her aunt. It wouldn't do to remind the grieving widow once again of what she had lost. So Amarah kept silent on the subject.
"I hope you don't return to discover he has escaped" Amarah continued with her warning regarding the Kingslayer's imprisonment.
"My father's men are loyal" Catelyn reasoned aloud. "I have every faith that they will succeed in keeping watch over him."
"I hope you are right" Amarah replied.
By this time they had reached Catelyn's quarters and Amarah demanded kindly that she go inside and get some rest. She gave her aunt a quick farewell before departing to walk to her own quarters. Looking behind her, she saw that Brienne still followed.
"You don't have to look after me" Amarah informed her. "I think I shall reach my destination well enough without any unneeded protection."
"If that is your wish, my lady" Brienne replied with a stiff bow before walking away.
As she watched the lady's retreat, Amarah suddenly regretted her less than kind words. Brienne had never wronged her in any way and she deserved more kindness than she had been given. Resolving to be less rude the next time she encountered the lady knight, Amarah began to walk once again towards her tent on the outskirts of camp. She had requested one farther away from the tournament field as she valued peace and quiet. Two things she would never have any of if she resided near the constant melee of men attacking each other with lances and swords.
The sun was beginning to set by this point in the day casting long shadows through the camp. As Amarah walked by one of the tents cast in the darkest part of the shade she suddenly felt a hand reach through the darkness to capture her around the waist before yanking her back into the deserted tent. Just as she was about to scream at the unexpected attack she felt another hand clap across her mouth to stop any sound that would alert the soldiers. She only managed to get out a faint squeak before she was flung to the ground inside the empty tent and covered by a heavy, clammy body.
She flailed about trying to find some kind of purchase on the hard ground so she could dislodge her attacker, but he had locked her waist between two thighs that were hard as rocks while he continued to muffle her screams. His stench was so overwhelming that she almost blacked out from the force of it. However, she stubbornly held on to consciousness as he continued to hold her down. A piece of cloth that he had used to cover his face came loose during their scuffle revealing him to her terrified gaze. He was uglier that he was smelly which was no small feat.
He gave her a smile full of yellow teeth, and she had to hold back the wave of nausea that threatened to overwhelm her at his lecherous gaze. With his free hand, he removed a small, dangerous looking knife from the belt at his waist. As he brought it to the base of her neck, she suddenly ceased her struggle to avoid getting her artery nicked in the process of freeing herself.
"When I was sent to kill the late king's little whore daughter I had no notion what a pretty thing you'd be" he whispered dangerously while his gaze greedily roamed her face. "They didn't pay me as much for this killing as I think I deserve" he continued. "I'll take my payment this way instead."
With those words he took the knife from her throat and used it to slice open the front of her green silk gown before clumsily grabbing at her exposed breasts. At these horrifying actions she resumed her struggle once again, not caring now if she got sliced open as well in the process. She would rather die than let this disgusting creature paw and rape her for his own amusement.
"Hold still, you little bitch" he exclaimed angrily before taking away the hand at her mouth to strike her across the face hard enough to make her to see patches of white lights. As soon as his hand left her mouth however, she took the opportunity to let out an earsplitting scream. She prayed to the seven someone was close enough to hear. Panicked, her attacker quickly clapped his hand back over her mouth and brought the knife to her throat once more.
"Now see what you've done?" he exclaimed angrily. "Seems I'll just have to kill you now before havin' my bit o' fun."
Amarah did not even want to consider what he meant by that disgusting reference. At least she would be dead before she was further violated. Closing her eyes tightly, she awaited the death dealing blow of his knife before his weight was unexpectedly removed. After a few moments, she cautiously opened her eyes once again to find the unexpected sight of Brienne fighting off her attacker. Unprepared to go up against one as intimidating as the lady knight, the disgusting worm was no match for her superior strength and skill. After only a few moments, Brienne knocked him to the ground before jamming her sword under his ribs. The blow was not enough to kill him instantly but just enough to leave him in an excruciating amount of pain as he wasted away.
Leaving the wretch to his agonized cries, Brienne came to help the injured princess. Amarah quickly reached to take the helping hand as Brienne assisted in placing her upright once again. It took a few moments before Amarah was able to regain her bearings, but as she looked down at her ruined dress which now gaped open almost to her waist, she was immediately overcome by an intense rage. The injured man still lay in a heap where Brienne left him and Amarah marched over to his side without hesitation.
The dagger he had threatened her with only moments before now lay beside him untouched by the blood pooling around his body. Picking up the abandoned dagger, she held it to his throat just before his screams ceased. He then coughed up a tremendous amount of blood covering the hand she held at his throat, but she was too incensed to care.
"Tell me who sent you" she demanded.
He gave a cruel sounding laugh which only served to eject more blood from his open mouth. "And what will you do if I don't?" he wheezed. "Kill me?"
"You'll die any way" she informed him. "Tell me who sent you here and I'll give you a quick death."
He seemed to mull over these words but she had no patience for him to make up his mind. She motioned Brienne over and stood to take the woman's sword. Once Brienne had handed it over, Amarah proceeded to place the sword back in his open wound and pushed with a tremendous amount of force, causing him to emit another deafening cry of pain.
"Tell me!" she commanded him once again.
After his screams faded away, he finally answered the question. "The queen sent me." He took a moment to cough up another round of blood. "She wants all Robert's children dead. But you most especially."
She did not doubt the truth of his words. They had received word several days ago about a mass killing in King's Landing of black haired babies and children. Now she realized why her father's bastards had been slaughtered so heartlessly. Because the queen wanted to eliminate any threat that might strengthen a true Baratheon's claim to the throne.
"Finish him" Amarah commanded Brienne before turning her back on the pitiful sight. As she heard the sickening sound of knife on flesh, Amarah remembered Cersei's words. You will never be safe from me. It appeared the queen had not forgotten her promise after all. Amarah would need to be more cautious than ever if she expected to win this game against the queen, but she would defeat her. If it was a war Cersei wanted between them, then a war she would have.
This is probably the most fun I've had yet writing a chapter! It's always exiting to let Amarah be a bit of a badass and Brienne of course is always a badass. All reviews are appreciated:)