Author's Note: Thank you so much for the reviews, follows, and favorites. It means a lot to me that so many of you are sticking with the story in spite of my sporadic, too few updates the last couple of months. Since the holidays are here, I have more free time to write, so updates will be more frequent these next couple of weeks. I want to write what happens as much as you all want to read it. I hope you enjoy the new chapter!
There had been few moments in Jaime Lannister's life when he had felt true fear. The flash of the blade that took his hand had sparked real terror in his heart. The glimpse of a small face through a distant window during a forbidden tryst with the queen had caused a flutter of dread in his warrior's spirit. But no event in the entirety of his existence had caused Jaime Lannister such soul stirring fear as the sight of a knotted noose around his princess's neck.
It had taken two days to track Amarah to the Brotherhood's camp after he and Brienne had arrived at the inn where she was taken captive. They had both taken turns questioning the owner of the establishment until he had given up the location of the outlaw band. He had been stubborn at first, but Jaime and the wench finally managed to break him. Jaime showed no mercy, for he knew every precious second lost was one that could cost Amarah her life.
From the sight that greeted his eyes once he broke through the cover of the forest trees, Jaime knew he had been justified in his ruthlessness. When he first caught sight of the small, frail body attached to the dangling rope, Jaime had thought it a corpse. The figure had been still as death and just as pale. But as he came close enough to recognize the face of the still form, his heart nearly ceased in its constant rhythm, so great was his fear that he had been too late to save her. Just as he drew the sword from his scabbard to cut down every bastard in sight, his terrified gaze caught sight of a slight movement from the princess. A tiny flicker of her dark lashes, but it was there. The sign of life needed to stay his hand.
Instead of bursting into the fray as was his original intention, Jaime turned slightly to signal Brienne to stay beneath the cover of the trees where she had been the entire time. He caught a flash of her straw-colored hair in the light as she gave a quick nod of agreement. With Jaime's men posted a league away, they might still be outnumbered by this small band, but he still had the element of surprise on his side. Gripping the hilt of his sword with a steady left hand, he stepped into the light to make his presence known.
"Unless you all plan to live very short lives, I would suggest you release the lady." Jaime was grateful his voice betrayed none of the fear he felt.
At his command, all pairs of eyes turned immediately in his direction. Ignoring the startled looks for a moment, Jaime kept his gaze focused on Amarah. Her lashes flickered once more before her eyes opened fully to find him standing there. The grey eyes were cloudy at first, as if she wasn't certain whose order had stayed her execution, but then he saw the recognition dawning in her eyes. The confusion gave way to relief as her mouth kicked up to reveal a grateful smile.
He saw her lips move then but he could only make out two words, her voice was so quiet and weak. Found me. Yes, he had found her, and now he had to get them both out of this hopeless situation. Giving his princess as comforting a smile as he could muster to help calm both their fears, he turned his attention back to the small band that surrounded them.
"Perhaps you didn't hear me. I said release the lady."
One of the more bold observers gave a harsh laugh at the repeated command. "And what'll you do if we don't? Eh, Kingslayer? What do we have to fear from a cripple with a sword?"
Without blinking an eye Jaime approached the man with a swift stride before snaking the arm with his golden hand around the man's throat and placing the cold steel of his sword to his neck. Making a mark small enough to nick the thin skin over the man's beating pulse, Jaime pulled him closer to growl a warning in his ear.
"Perhaps you'd like to see what else this cripple can do."
To emphasize the point, Jaime dug the sharp edge of his sword a little deeper into the man's skin until a thin trail of crimson blood dribbled down his fat neck. Jaime caught a glimpse of the man's terrified gaze reflected in his golden hand and gave a menacing smile. The others would do well not to repeat the mistake of underestimating him.
The man's fellow brothers looked warily towards the pair but none moved to help. Jaime suspected they would rather save their own skins than risk the chance of losing their own necks to his deadly sword. As Jaime waited in the tense silence for someone to move to do his bidding, he saw another figure approach the spot where Amarah still stood tethered to the overhanging branches.
Amarah's gaze, which had been fastened so securely on him, was distracted then by the sight of the hooded figure at her side. Jaime saw a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes, but it was gone as swiftly as it appeared. Furrowing his brow in question, he looked to the figure that faced him now with an immovable stance. As a bony hand rose to remove the hood, Jaime found himself looking into the battered face of a woman he had never thought to see alive again.
"Lady Stark?"
The creature's eyes narrowed together in anger before she pulled together the dangling flaps of skin at her throat in order to speak. "Lady Stoneheart, Kingslayer. I'm no longer the Catelyn Stark you knew. She was too weak, too afraid to do what needed to be done, but I have no such fears. You've taken the lives of those I loved, and now I shall do the same. I want to see the same misery in your eyes before you join the girl in death. You must know my pain."
Jaime had to strain to understand what she said. The sound was so garbled and broken he could barely discern the words, but there was one thing he could not misunderstand. The burning hatred in her gaze. The words so clearly dripping with the venom of disdain. She meant to kill Amarah as revenge before turning the sword of death on him as well. By his valiant attempt to rescue the princess, he had revealed her importance to him, and there would be no reasoning with this creature now. If he was to see Amarah live, she must die. Again.
Removing his sword from his captive's throat, Jaime knocked him unconscious with a quick bash over the head before kicking him away. He approached the creature, Lady Stoneheart as she called herself, with a lazy stride. His arrogant demeanor and bearing never betraying the lurking fear in his heart. As his brain worked furiously to form a plan to escape this madness, he kept a constant eye and a pointed sword on those surrounding them, never allowing his gaze to falter.
Just as he was about to reach Amarah, a line of men formed in front of him, preventing him from reaching the object of his pursuit. They had removed their swords as well, pointing them at him with deadly intention. Only a slight wobble in their stance betrayed their uncertainty. Jaime gave them a cutting smile of lazy arrogance before turning his attention back to the pair of women behind them.
Amarah continued to remain still and quiet, watching him with a penetrating gaze. Jaime contemplated her for a moment, absorbing the lovely features of her delicate face. There were dark shadows beneath her eyes now, her cheeks were gaunt and hollow from lack of nutrition and sleep, but he barely noticed those things. Despite the weariness in her gaze, there was life there too, a spark of defiance against the fate that had been imposed on her, and he had never thought her more beautiful.
Forcing his gaze to the creature by her side, he opened his mouth once more to speak.
"You may have the advantage of numbers now, Lady Stark, but my men are very nearly here. If you exact your revenge on me by killing us, you'll not have long to enjoy your victory. Before the hour is through my men will have slaughtered you and every last one of these outlaws. Don't make the mistake of thinking me alone and helpless. I am far from either. It would be in your best interest to do as I ask."
The creature narrowed her gaze once more while contemplating his offer, but the defiant hatred still remained. "What do I care if you threaten my life? It was already taken from me before Dondarrion restored it to me once more. I'll consider his gift of life well used if I can manage to rid the kingdoms of you. I have no need of life."
"But what of your daughter?" These words came from the silent figure beside Lady Stoneheart. Jaime's gaze swung to Amarah with a questioning look, and she returned the silent query with a pointed gaze that instructed him to trust her. Jaime gave a barely perceptible nod of his head in acknowledgement before she returned her attention once again to her once-deceased aunt. She waited till she had Stoneheart's full attention before addressing her once again.
"Would you rather have your revenge on the man you once begged me to free from your son's prison or would you rather hold your daughter in your arms once more?"
Stoneheart's gaze grew suspicious as she took in Amarah's words. "My daughter is dead" she croaked. "You are responsible for her death. You betrayed – "
Amarah quickly cut off the creature's remark before she had the chance to complete it. "I never betrayed you. You were the one who ordered Jaime's escape from Riverrun. All I ever did was what you asked of me."
"I asked you to return my daughter" the creature reminded her impatiently.
"And I still can" Amarah implored her. "Sansa is not dead. You know this. If there is any of my aunt left in your soul, you can feel that she is not dead even as I do. I just need time."
The creature continued to eye her skeptically, but she still appeared unmoved. Jaime gripped the hilt of his sword once again, prepared to cut down every last man if that was what things came to.
Several moments of tense silence passed before they were broken once more by Amarah's voice. "Give me twenty days to find her. That's all I ask. After the twenty days I will return with or without Sansa, and then you may do with me as you wish."
"How do I know you will keep your word?" the creature demanded of her. "If I release you, he'll have his men slaughter me and the rest of the Brotherhood without a thought."
Jaime could hold his tongue no longer at that. "I could have slaughtered you already, but I chose not to. My men surround us even now as we speak. They only await my command." He broke off for a moment to glance back into the woods where he had left the wench. As if on command, they all caught the sound of a sword being pulled from its scabbard. Well the wench is good for something after all Jaime thought to himself with and inward smirk before turning to face the company once again. He kept the mask of arrogance firmly in place to shield the knowledge of his convincing bluff. "Take the offer, my lady" he urged Stoneheart. "It's likely the best you'll receive, and I'll even sweeten it for you if you like. Instead of Amarah, you can have me if we've failed to find your daughter in the twenty days allotted. I certainly don't mind slaughtering the lot of your men, but it's so terribly messy. Save us all trouble and release the girl."
Stoneheart glanced back-and-forth between them as if trying to discern the sincerity behind the offer. "Twenty days" she finally said with an abrupt nod of her head. "Then return."
She approached Jaime then with a look burning with all the hatred she felt, and he returned her glare a careless glance he knew infuriated her. "If you fail, then I'll have your traitorous head" she told him. "I'm certain none would mourn your loss too greatly."
"Perhaps you're right" Jaime returned with a small shrug. "But don't sharpen your executioner's ax too soon, my lady. We still have the twenty days."
"Then make good use of them, Kingslayer" she spat at him. "As they may be your last."
With this last statement, she gave the terse order for her men to free Amarah before replacing her hood once again over her scarred face. "Twenty days" she repeated once more to both of them before spinning abruptly on her heel and disappearing through the myriad of trees.
Jaime watched her departure for a few moments before turning his attention once again where it belonged, on his princess. He looked over to find a dark-haired boy removing the rope from about her neck. Once the braided rope was removed, Amarah seemed to lose her ability to stand as her knees buckled abruptly and she tipped backwards toward the hard earth. Jaime instantly moved forward to help her, but the dark-haired boy was there first capturing her in his strong arms and pulling her slight frame towards his broad chest.
Jaime had to fight the instant urge to tear her from the boy's arms. Instead, he chose to take a calming breath before putting away his sword and stepping towards the boy with a look that was none-too-friendly. "I believe that's mine, boy."
Amarah might have been too weak to stand, but her condition didn't prevent her from shooting and indignant look in his direction. "I'm not your horse, Lannister."
"Certainly not" Jaime agreed easily, masking his irritation at her failure to call him by his given name. "After all, I ride my horse daily, but you – "
"Don't you dare finish that sentence" Amarah cut him off with an indignant huff.
Jaime didn't bother to hide his smirk as he reached over without permission to pluck her from the boy's arms. The boy opened his mouth to protest but Jaime cut that protest short with a menacing look of deadly intent. The boy's mouth snapped shut once more and Jaime rewarded his silence with a patronizing smile. "Wise boy."
Once Amarah was securely in his arms, Jaime took a moment to inspect her more closely. She was much lighter than he remembered, her full, luscious frame more lean now from months of travel and starvation at her captor's hands. As he wrapped his arms around her waist, Jaime imagined he could feel the her ribs through the thin bodice of her dress. He looked down then at her hands which she braced against him as her held her aloft. What he saw then caused his blood to heat in anger as he took in the raw, bleeding skin and welts around the fine bones of her delicate wrists.
Amarah must have followed the direction of his horrified gaze because she gave a soft sigh drawing his attention to her face once again. Her eyes had lost their spark of defiance from before, now they just looked sad. "I look quite a sight don't I?" she whispered quietly.
Jaime gave her a gentle smile then before pressing a soft kiss of reassurance to her gaunt cheek. "You're still prettier than my horse, Princess" he murmured softly so only she could hear.
He saw a hint of a smile then on her beautiful mouth. "Careful" she warned him in an equally soft whisper. "Any more compliments like that, and I might never want to leave your side."
Jaime gave a soft chuckle in response to her reminder of his words the day they escaped Riverrun, the day that marked the beginning of their complicated relationship with one another. The moment was broken almost immediately, though, by the knowledge that they were currently being observed by men who had tried moments before to have them both killed.
"I think it's time we left, Princess" Jaime announced to her then, loudly enough for those around to hear as well. As he turned and walked from the clearing with Amarah still in his arms, Jaime kept his senses acutely attuned to those around them. A bargain with Stoneheart might not be enough to stop others from trying to rid the kingdoms of the Kingslayer. Keeping the men within his sights, Jaime had almost escaped the clearing when he saw someone approaching them.
He immediately reached for his sword before recognizing the boy who had loosed Amarah from the hangman's noose. Giving a look that warned him to keep his distance, Jaime stopped for a moment to see what it was he had to say.
"Make it quick, boy" Jaime ordered him. "My patience is beginning to wear thin."
"I would like to accompany you on the journey, my lord. I would like to help in whatever way I can. I've much to atone for, I know" he said shooting Amarah an apologetic glance.
Jaime opened his mouth to shoot down the boy's offer to help without a thought, but Amarah spoke first. "You're welcome to come with us if you wish, Gendry, but your fellow brothers might not agree to such a plan."
"I've told them I wish to go along to ensure you remember to keep the bargain with our lady" he assured her quickly.
Jaime wasn't particularly impressed by the boy's plan. "Did you neglect to acknowledge the fact I could cut you down without a moment's hesitation? You'd be a rather poor reminder of our bargain then."
"Oh don't be such an arse, Jaime" Amarah told him then with an annoyed frown. Jaime returned the frown with one of his own, but chose to remain silent. Once Amarah was certain he would behave, she turned her attention back to the boy called Gendry. "If you're coming then you'd best leave now. We've not much time."
With that statement, Jaime started towards the cluster of trees once again until they were safely under the cover of darkness. They found Brienne standing at the edge of the forest waiting for them. She sent their new companion a warning glance before ignoring him in favor of her lady.
"Thank the seven you're safe, my lady. With each day that passed I feared the worst."
Amarah reached out to give her faithful knight a reassuring pat on her broad shoulder. "I knew I could depend on your Brienne. Thank you for finding him for me."
Brienne gave a quick, jerky nod of her head in acknowledgement of Amarah's thanks before her ugly face turned serious once more. "How do you intend to find Lady Sansa in twenty days, my lady, when we could not find any trace of her in our travels?"
"A prudent question" Jaime echoes the wench's thoughts. "Have you learned something that might help us find the missing wolf pup?"
"No" Amarah answered with a swift shake of her curly head. "But I know of someone who might be able to help."
"Does this mysterious person happen to have a name?" Jaime questioned with a grim frown. "I would prefer not to break another vow. My reputation is in shreds as it is."
"He has a name you're well familiar with" Amarah answered with a knowing smile. "He'll most likely be reluctant to help us, but I'm certain we can bring him around. I think it's high time to resurrect Sandor Clegane."
It's high time I wrote the Hound into this story. I'll explain Amarah's revelation regarding Sandor's fate in the next chapter. Please review and let me know what you think. As I mentioned, the holidays give me more time to write but reviews are the best motivation. I'll make a deal with y'all. If this story can pass 300 reviews in the next day or two I will update with at least 3 new chapters this week (possibly more). I know that's a lot of reviews, but we'll see:) Whatever happens, thanks so much for taking the time to read my story! I look forward to posting a new chapter soon. There's so much more goodness to explore between our newly reunited couple:)