"Gwen!"

The maid looked up as the shrill voice sounded in her ear and she saw Lady Stark making her way into the tent, her gaze intent on the maid as she dipped down to her side, resting on her knees by the bed which Gwen laid on. The maester was knelt by her thigh, her dress being hitched to her waist and leaving her vulnerable in just her undergarments. She looked to Lady Stark as the woman brought her hand up to Gwen's cheek, running her fingers down the pale skin.

"They told me what happened," Lady Stark said, her voice breaking slightly as she did so. She looked to Gwen and the maid forced a small smile. "How could he do this to you? After everything you did for him...he repaid you like this..."

"And somehow the girl always manages to find herself in bother," the maester spoke, his hands cleaning the wound which Gwen had in her thigh. He had managed to stitch it together in a makeshift manner, telling her that she would have slight pain in it and she should keep her weight from it.

"It's a talent," Gwen dared to mutter to him and Catelyn smiled at the words, moving her fingers and tucking Gwen's blonde hair beneath her ear. She looked around for a moment, wondering where her new recruit had gotten to when she saw the white flap of the tent rustle in the wind and reveal her stood there, guarding the door.

"You need some rest, Gwen," the maester informed her and stood up, moving away with his tools in his bag. She took a moment to watch him before she sat up and propped herself up on her elbows.

"I am fine," Gwen admitted. "It is just a small wound."

"You are lucky he did not cut you deeper," the maester called out as Gwen rolled her eyes. She flopped back onto the bed and closed her eyes, squinting as she did so. "If he did then you would not be walking for months."

"And do we have men looking for the Kingslayer?" Lady Stark wondered and Gwen was the one to answer, nodding hastily at her.

"I saw him travel west and the men followed him." Gwen informed her. "I don't know how far he got...he is underfed and weak...the men will rip him apart if they find him...we cannot let that happen..."

"He killed his own cousin," Lady Stark reminded her. "He killed a son with no mercy. He stabbed you. It is no wonder why they want to kill him. Are you defending him, Gwen? Are you worried for him?"

"Why would you ask me that?" Gwen wondered; her brows furrowed together as Lady Stark turned her stern gaze to the maester.

"Can you leave us please?" Catelyn asked and the maester did as was asked, grabbing onto his bag and rushing out from the tent, leaving Gwen to the mercy of Catelyn Stark. She pushed herself to sit up, her back arching as she moved her hands over her bare legs, running her fingers down her skin as she stretched.

"You refused to travel with me to Renly," Catelyn declared and she sat on the edge of the bed, her hand cradling Gwen's cold fingers and the maid looked down onto the contact. "You insisted on staying here and keeping the Kingslayer safe. You constantly defy me and give him more than he deserves-"

"-I-"

"-Do not deny it, Gwen," Catelyn urged her, her voice curt and her tone clipped whilst Gwen pushed her lips together and forced her mouth to stay closed. She could not cope with this conversation when she felt so tired. She did not know if Lady Stark would agree with her decision to let Jaime go.

"You have defended him and I want to know why. You know what he is. He is a traitor. He has fathered his sister's children and he pushed my son from the tower. He has done nothing to deserve your pity yet you show him it. You treat him with more respect than he deserves and I need to know why," Catelyn urged her.

"He is valuable to us," Gwen commented, not truly knowing why she wanted to save him. "If he dies then we have no leverage over Lord Tywin and the Lannisters. We cannot bring Lady Sansa and Lady Arya back...and that is what I want most of all. His life is important."

Catelyn observed her for a few moments, her body stiff as her spine straightened and she moved her head to the side, her gaze looking into Catelyn's. Lady Stark didn't know whether or not she should believe the maid. She didn't know what further mysterious there were behind her blue gaze.

"And is that all?" she checked. "I want my girls back, Gwen...but I do not treat him like you do."

"I know, my Lady," Gwen whispered. "Believe me when I say that there is nothing more. He is simply a traitor in my eyes," Gwen spoke once more. But she knew she was lying. She knew that her words were fake for she had seen something else hidden behind Jaime Lannister. It was something which she didn't truly know of.

"But he is a traitor who can bring Lady Arya and Sansa home," Gwen decreed and she seemed to appease Catelyn. Lady Stark smiled softly and nodded once, running the back of her hand down Gwen's limp curls as she knew the hour struck late.

"If you say so, Gwen," Catelyn whispered. "You should get some sleep. It has been a trying night for all of us. I shall come and check on you in the morning."

"Yes, my Lady," Gwen said and Catelyn kissed the top of her head affectionately and Gwen wondered what she had done to deserve the kindness. Perhaps Lady Stark valued her more than she thought.

...

"Gwen...should you be out and about?" Lady Catelyn enquired the next day. She had been true to her word and had visited the girl in the morning only to find her still sleeping soundly. Gwen had managed to get up and change herself into her own clothes, wincing and snapping in pain as the material irritated her wound.

"I had to move."

"You should address your Lady with courtesy at all times."

Gwen startled as she saw the tall blonde woman in the corner of the room near the entrance. She stumbled for a moment on the crutches which held her up, resting under her arms and paining them by carrying her weight. She could think of more enjoyable methods of transport.

"Lady Brienne," Catelyn spoke hastily. "It is fine. She is my maid and she is welcome here."

"Yes, Lady Stark," Brienne said and Gwen noted how she stood proudly, her head held high and she wore her armour as if it made her nobility. Her hair was a mop of blonde strands on her head whilst her face was stern and showed no sign of friendliness towards Gwen or anyone else.

"Anyway," Lady Stark said and she moved from her desk, the news which she had received raced through her and she wondered what she should do. The letter had been received of how her sons had been taken from her. Theon Greyjoy had taken her children and she did not know how much more she could handle.

Her family was being ripped apart and it pained her beyond belief.

"My Lady," another voice entered the tent before Catelyn could say anything further. Gwen watched as Lady Stark looked at the man, assuring Lady Brienne that she had no need to harm the man for entering her tent without announcing himself.

"It is the Kingslayer," the man spoke to her. "We have captured him."

Gwen inwardly cursed him, knowing that she should never have let him go on the run. There was no way he could outrun them. Gwen hobbled out behind Lady Stark and almost managed to trip over, unable to keep her balance whilst moving through the air on the crutches.

She heard the loud cheers as her eyes looked up and she saw Jaime being dragged back to the camp with chains holding him in place. His body was too weak to remain stood up and balance and he continued to fall all over the place, his eyes too intent on looking where he was going.

Lady Stark stood in front of Gwen, her head held high in the air as she looked at Jaime being brought back towards them. He finally ended up on the ground before Lady Stark as Lord Karstark delivered a blow to his ribs and Gwen winced for him.

Lady Brienne stood next to her Lady and waited patiently for a command.

"I want him dead!" the Lord declared and more cheers echoed around the area.

Jaime moved his gaze upwards, his green eyes settling on Gwen's blue ones and he saw the crutches she held onto. A sigh passed his parted lips and his mind wondered why he had made the noise. Perhaps he was relieved to see her still alive. He didn't know but he had no time to dwell upon it.

"I know you do, my Lord-"

"-He killed my son!" the Lord roared, unable to keep the noise back as Catelyn closed her eyes, wondering how she would get herself out of the mess she had found herself in. She hoped there was a way. "I want him dead for what he has done!"

"As do I, my Lord, make no doubt about that. He crippled my son and his family have made my life a living hell," Catelyn said, her voice commanding respect as she made her motion to remind them who she was. She was the Lady of Winterfell. She commanded respect and she would see to it. "I have ordered you not to kill him. And that is a command."

"We do not serve you," the Lord reminded her and she jutted her chin out, her jaw clenching as anger coursed through her veins at his words.

"You serve the King of the North," she told him. "You serve my son. He is the one who commanded you to keep the Kingslayer alive and that is what you shall do. I am Lady of Winterfell and you will do well to remember that, my Lord."

He said no more as Lady Stark looked down to Jaime who was watching her with intent, wondering what use she had for him now. She had to know that he would not survive the night. His head was being called for and she could not stop a rebellion of angered men.

"Now," Catelyn cleared her throat, "take him back to his pen and keep him locked up."

Jaime was picked up and dragged away from her as Gwen watched him struggle. She looked on for a moment before excusing herself from Lady Stark's company, claiming that she was tired and needed a rest for she had drained herself. Gwen moved slowly back to her tent, the roars of men washing through her as they all demanded the same thing.

They all demanded the Kingslayer's death.

Eventually it quietened down and she knew that their training for the afternoon had begun. Gwen made her move then, limping on her crutches back to the rows of pens which one guard looked after.

"My Lady," he spoke to Gwen, "you should not be here. You know what the Kingslayer did."

"I know," Gwen replied. "He did this to me and I wish to give him a piece of my mind. Surely you understand."

Gwen looked at the young boy for a moment, opening her mouth and revealing her teeth in a smile which she hoped was dazzling. She couldn't help but feel as if she was grimacing in his direction more than wooing him.

"I don't intend to go into his cage. I simply want to yell at him in private for a few moments."

"I shouldn't..."

"Oh, please," Gwen urged him and looked down to her leg. "I don't intend to be long. No harm shall come to me if he is locked away securely."

Gwen increased her smile, her cheeks hurting as the young boy nodded once, smirking back at her as his hand moved through his hair and his gaze found hers once more.

"You can have a few moments," he told her. "I shall be out by the entrance of the pens waiting."

"Thank you," Gwen smiled and he nodded, moving away from her as she hobbled towards the pen which Jaime was being housed in.

"You should have just shown him your cleavage," Jaime commented to her as he saw her stood to the side of his pen, her body resting against the metal and removing the weight from the crutches. "You would have had the job done in half the time."

"My cleavage has been ogled already in the past night," she reminded him. "Besides, I thought that you were escaping. I stabbed myself because I believed in you."

"You shouldn't say things like that out loud, Gwen," Jaime urged her.

"I'm not the one who they want dead."

"You would be if they knew you helped me," he told her and she kept her mouth closed tightly at hearing him. "How is the wound?"

"It will take time to heal but it could have been worse," Gwen shrugged nonchalantly, trying not to look too bothered with her injury. "What happened to you? How did they find you? I sent them in the wrong direction."

"Apparently you are not the only one who can get lost in a forest," he mumbled, referring to the first time had had found her in the woods, thinking she had been lost. "They didn't stop searching for me and I wasn't strong enough to fight them off. I was outnumbered."

"I thought that you were the best?" Gwen checked with him, a smirk on the corner of her lips as Jaime looked at her, his mouth hanging open as his face mocked the emotion of shock.

"Are you making fun of me, Gwen?" he wondered.

"It is all you used to do to me," Gwen said back to him and he chuckled at hearing her. "Anyway...this...they want you dead. The men are calling for your blood."

"And thank you for divulging that top secret information with me."

Gwen pursed her lips together as she heard him and tired of his sarcastic manner with her.

"Really, Gwen," he continued to drawl, "if you didn't tell me then I would never have known."

"I'm serious," Gwen warned him. "If they kill you then...Gods only know what will happen..."

Jaime watched her with intent, wondering what she was really doing. Did she really care about him? Did she want him to live? Or did she just want her girls back? Jaime was unsure. She looked at him, studying him and seeing how bad he looked.

"Is this sentiment, Gwen?" Jaime enquired. "Is this you caring for me?"

"Do not flatter yourself," Gwen warned him and he chuckled, his head leaning back against the post behind him. "I...you...do you honestly think you'll make it past this night?"

"No," Jaime answered truthfully. "I am well aware how they want me dead. Perhaps death will be more welcoming than this pit."

"Don't be silly," Gwen urged him. "Death is never welcoming."

"I dare you to say that if you become injured beyond belief."

"Hopefully that day will never come," Gwen said and winced as she knocked her thigh against the metal and Jaime saw the motion.

"Your injury is more painful then you would have me believe," he told her and she shrugged at him.

"I can live," she simply said to him. "I need to go...Lady Stark might help...she might..."

"What?" Jaime asked as she continued to babble. "What do you think she will do? Do you think she will free me like you did? Do you think she will be as soft as you? She's turned into quite a wolf in her old age."

"She's hardly old," Gwen replied. "She's surely not that much older than you are. It's irrelevant...you know as well as I do that she will do anything to save her daughters..."

"Gwen."

Jaime looked behind Gwen's shoulder as the maid closed her eyes and tensed up before hobbling to turn around. Lady Stark stood there, her gaze on Gwen and her face emotionless.

"Lady Stark, your maid here was offering me her services for my last night amongst the living," Jaime said and Gwen's mouth fell open and she shook her head quickly.

"I wasn't," she quickly said to Catelyn and Lady Stark nodded.

"I know," she said. "You do not need to explain yourself, Gwen. Go and get some rest."

"You'll need it for later," Jaime taunted her and she turned her head to glare at him before Catelyn rested her hand onto her shoulder.

"Go," she urged her, knowing that time was not on her side.

Gwen limped away with the crutches, occasionally trying to put weight onto her leg and failing terribly. She sat in her tent as the red sky set and turned to darkness. She did nothing for a while, her thoughts turning onto what Lady Stark wanted from the Kingslayer.

It was only a matter of minutes before Lady Stark returned to her tent, her eyes frantically searching for the maid she found sat at her table. Catelyn looked at Gwen for a moment, their eyes meeting as understanding crossed Gwen's features and she stood up.

"You freed him?" she checked and Catelyn closed her eyes, inhaling sharply.

"I had to," she replied. "I need to bring my girls back to me. I need to save them."

"Where is he?"

"Brienne has him and is saddling a horse. She rides with him as soon as it has been done."

"I request to go with her," Gwen instantly said, needing to do this for Sansa and Arya. That was what she told herself anyway. "If he is going to find Lady Sansa and Lady Arya then I want to go and help. I have to go and help them."

"And when he returns to Kings Landing then what do you think will happen?" Lady Stark wondered from Gwen. "The Queen still wants you dead. If she sees you then do you think she will let you live because you brought her brother back to her?"

"I know not," Gwen responded. "I just know that I have to go."

"Why?" Catelyn wondered. "Do you do this for my girls or for him?"

"Your daughters," Gwen said without a moment of hesitance. She looked at Lady Stark and she knew that she would defy her if she did not let her go. She was not going to sit in a camp and do nothing. She refused firmly. "I am no use here."

"You will be no use with them," Catelyn said, her voice harsher than she had intended for it to be. "You are injured."

"I can manage, Lady Stark," Gwen promised her. "I have to go. What do you think will happen when Lord Robb finds out that you freed him?"

"Gwen," Catelyn warned her, sensing the girl was on the verge of anger as her tone suggested. "My son will keep me safe. He will keep you safe. He cares for you, Gwen. He cares for you more than the Kingslayer does."

"What?" Gwen snapped, confusion coursing through her. "I fail to care whether the Kingslayer cares for me or not...it does not matter to me...I told you this earlier..."

"And I do not know whether I believe you," Catelyn said. "You have spent too much time around him that I fear you care more than you think you do."

"No!" Gwen snapped back. "I care for Lady Sansa and Lady Arya. That is why I want to go."

Catelyn watched Gwen, knowing that she could not stop the girl. She could if she wanted to but she knew there would be no point. Gwen was as stubborn as her mother was when it came to certain matters. There would be no point in denying her.

"The trip is dangerous, Gwen. Surely you know that?"

"I know," Gwen nodded. "Please, Lady Stark. Let me go and bring them home. Let me do this."

"I do not want to see you hurt, Gwen."

"And I do not want to be hurt," Gwen complained. "But I want to do this. It is my decision, Lady Stark. It was my decision to come to the camp and it is my decision to go with them."

Catelyn regarded her. Yes, she was a maid. She was a maid and she should obey Catelyn. But at the same time she was a grown woman. She was old enough to make her own decisions and Catelyn should not resent her for that. She should leave her be.

"Follow me," was all the Catelyn said to her and Gwen nodded, hobbling along on her crutches as Lady Stark led her to the outskirts of the camp. She saw Brienne there, flinging Jaime over a white horse. He was chained and his head was covered with black cloth, keeping him hidden from view.

"Gwen shall be coming with you," Catelyn told Brienne in a low voice.

"Will she?" Jaime was the one to answer. "Excellent. She knows how much I enjoy her company."

"Quiet, Kingslayer," Brienne hissed and looked at the girl who had been injured. "Is she up to the journey, my Lady?"

"I am fine," Gwen snapped back as Brienne looked at Catelyn and the elder woman nodded in agreement with what Gwen was saying.

"You cannot bring those. There is no room on the horse for such cumbersome things," Brienne motioned to her crutches and Gwen nodded in agreement. She stepped out from them, wincing as she stood on her own weight and Lady Stark took hold of the aids.

"Bring my girls back, Gwen," Catelyn said, her hand stroking the maid's cheek for a moment. "And bring yourself back."

"I will do my best," Gwen whispered to her and was shocked when she was pulled into an embrace. She did nothing when Brienne grabbed her roughly and pushed her to sit on top of the white horse. She sat side saddle at the front, holding onto the reins as Jaime sat behind her. Brienne took another horse which was already saddled and Gwen wondered why she had the company of Jaime.

"Be safe," Catelyn urged them and Brienne set off first. Gwen nodded at Lady Stark before allowing her horse to move.

As soon as it set off she felt Jaime move behind her, his hands holding onto her at the sudden movement.

"Do not tell me that you are sat side saddle," he urged her as she pulled the reins and allowed the horse to speed up after Brienne. "Do you remember what happened last time you sat side saddle? You fell and I had to look after you."

"Well, I won't have that issue this time."

"I hope not," Jaime grumbled, managing to move his chained hands so he could move one arm around her back and clamp his hand on her waist whilst his other hand sat on the top of her thigh. She looked at the contact and then back at his covered face before scowling.

"I can just imagine your pretty face flushing red now," he told her and she shook her head. "And now you just shook your head."

She looked back to him and he shrugged, sensing that she was staring at him.

"And now you're looking at me as if to say, 'Oh, Jaime, how well you know me'," he said and Gwen nudged him in the stomach with her elbow. "Anyway, I am amazed that you did get to come on this enthralling journey."

"I told Lady Stark that I was coming regardless of anything."

"How bold of you. I did hope that I would have your tender company. The wench seems to hate me from what I have seen."

"There aren't many people who don't hate you," Gwen reminded him.

"You pain me," Jaime muttered.

"Be quiet," Gwen replied. "Try and get some sleep or rest...anything to stop you from talking."

"I thought you enjoyed my smart tongue."

"I enjoy it as much as you enjoy my smart mouth."

"I love your smart mouth," Jaime replied to her. "You know that I cannot get enough of it."

"Just stop talking," Gwen urged him. "It's going to be a long night. I don't need you making it worse."

"As you wish, Gwen," Jaime obliged much to her surprise.

...

Gwen watched as Brienne roughly pushed Jaime from the horse the next day. He fell to the ground, wincing and moaning as he did so and Gwen stood there, short pants of breath coming from her mouth at the pain of standing on her leg. Brienne moved quickly and uncovered his face, seeing him wince in the daylight as he looked up to her, his eyes wide and his face shocked.

"You're much uglier in daylight," he informed her and she pursed her lips, grabbing onto him and hauling him to his feet. "What's your name?" he wondered from her. "I'm Jaime Lannister of Casterly Rock and this here is Gwen...well...do you have a second name?"

"Not that I know of," Gwen informed him as she began to hobble alongside them.

"Well, then this is just Gwen. Maid of the Starks."

Brienne obviously wasn't going to say anything to him and so he continued speaking as Gwen stood to his side, walking with him through the trees and wincing in pain. Jaime allowed his gaze to settle on her for a few moments as he heard the flow of water.

"A captured knight has the right to know his captors identity."

"Brienne of Tarth," she finally snapped back and Jaime began to mutter to himself about Tarth.

"Dear Gods," Gwen snapped at Jaime and he looked at her for a moment. "Can you just shut up?"

"It's a long way to Kings Landing, Gwen," Jaime reminded her. "And if we go at this pace then it will take double the time."

"I cannot help it," Gwen moaned and Jaime rolled his eyes before he moved quickly. He moved his chained hands, one pushing against Gwen's back and the other one pushing underneath her legs as she toppled over.

"What are you doing, Kingslayer?" Brienne snapped, standing still for a moment on the top of the hill they had been walking down.

"I thought it was obvious," Jaime said, standing tall and holding Gwen against his chest as she rested her hands onto his shoulders. "Either you're very heavy or I have weakened terribly."

"Put me down," Gwen snapped at him quickly and he rolled his eyes, walking down the hill with Brienne following him.

"If the Lady wants to be put down then you shall put her down," Brienne snapped at him.

"Lady?" Jaime wondered, looking back at Brienne and then back to Gwen. "She thinks you're a Lady. She really doesn't know you, does she?"

"Put me down," Gwen demanded him. "I can walk on my own."

"And we have already established that you can't," Jaime told her. "Can you just not argue for once and sit still...unless you want me to drop you?"

"Kingslayer," Brienne warned him again.

"You know as well as I do that we have a lack of time to find Lady Stark's daughters." He replied to both of them and Gwen said nothing then as Jaime noted they had begun walking amongst the trees at the side of the river.

"Excellent," Jaime said when both women didn't respond to him. Gwen held onto Jaime as he remained silent, his taunts finishing for a couple of moments as they stopped before a boat. Brienne checked the coast was clear before Jaime spoke to her.

"Do you think that you can keep me for this entire journey?" he asked her as she pushed at the boat and Jaime pushed Gwen further into his arms, pressing her tightly against him. "I will escape somehow. I am a knight. I can manage it."

"No, you won't," Brienne snapped at him.

"Have you seen me fight?"

"No," Brienne replied.

"Then you don't know how good I truly am. There are only three men in the entire seven kingdoms who stand a chance at beating me and you are not one of them."

"I'd challenge that bet," Gwen said and Jaime looked down at her.

"Tell her to unlock these chains and we can see you lose that bet," Jaime replied and Brienne rolled her eyes.

"Do you take me for an idiot? Now get in the boat."

Jaime huffed and did as was asked, lowering Gwen into the boat first. He allowed her to sit on the middle seat before he took the one opposite her. He lounged back, the sun on his face warming his skin as Brienne took to the seat behind them and pushed the boat from the edge.

Gwen looked at Jaime's dirty face, his beard growing uncontrollably around his face along with his hair on top of his head.

"You don't need to ogle me," he warned her and she frowned at him, her brows arched and Jaime chuckled at seeing her. "I know I am not looking my best. You don't happen to have a cloth, do you?"

"Why?"

"So that I can wipe my face. Gods only know how filthy I look."

Gwen shook her head, reaching for the hem of her dress and ripping a shred of material from it. Jaime looked at her, shocked she would ruin her own clothing for his sake. But she preferred a peaceful life.

"Here," she said and handed it to him.

He said nothing as he took the cloth and dropped it into the water, pulling it back out and rinsing it as Gwen watched him set about allowing the cold water to move onto his skin.

"You missed a bit," she told him as he dropped the cloth into his lap. She pointed to her own face by her cheek for reference and Jaime had another go. She rolled her eyes as he missed the spot.

She leant forwards, falling from the seat onto her knees, not noting the pain in her wound. She took the cloth from him and ran it down the side of his face.

"You really have taken to caring for me," Jaime mused and Gwen said nothing as she knelt in between his legs. He moved forwards, his finger curling under her chin and drawing her gaze to his. He ignored the presence of Brienne, the wench saying nothing as she watched the sight in front of her.

"Did you want to go around with a speck of dirt on your face?"

"I've looked worse." He assured her. "I know I look worse than usual."

"Well...you looked silly and it would annoy me after a while," Gwen excused her sudden behaviour as Jaime smirked at her, his finger never leaving her chin. She knew she could snap away from him but she didn't. His touch was captivating and she didn't know why.

"Why did you come here, Gwen?" he whispered to her and she closed her eyes for a moment.

"You know why I came," she told him.

The pair of them looked at each other, wondering what was happening.

"I came for the girls." She spoke clearly. "I came for Lady Stark."

"If you say so, Gwen," Jaime mumbled and released her. She moved back to her own seat and looked onto the river, her gaze watching as the sun hit it and she wondered what he thought she had come for. Surely he didn't think it had been for him. Gwen looked back at him for a moment out of the corner of her eye as he too watched the changing landscape and she folded her arms on her lap.

She honestly wondered what ran though his head sometimes. Just like he wondered what ran through her head.

...

A/N: Holey moley! So many reviews for the previous chapter! I cannot thank you all enough, it was shocking to wake up this morning and see how many people had reviewed and everyone liked it! That's my main aim. So thank you to Zamya, BlondieGirl9892, Yakitori-Chan, MissCarolineForbes, trsutbroccoli23, KingofTruands, raiverchick, Pannonique, moonliht1ify, Jofrench22, and mythwriter for your kind reviews.

Thanks to anyone reading thus far and I do hope you will let me know what you think! Possible update later today and if not then tomorrow!