"Jaime!"
Sarah snapped out his name as soon as he sauntered back into the bathhouse. His eyes were narrowed at Sarah as he moved over to the tub which she occupied. He bent down swiftly, his legs uneasy underneath his weight as she sat to the opposite side he knelt on. She had covered her chest with her arm, but the murky water protected her modesty.
"Please tell me that you did not know," Jaime demanded and Sarah looked at him with her knitted brows. "Because if you do know then you are treading dangerously, Sarah."
She shook her head, pulling at her hair to come over her shoulders, the ends of it dipping into the water whilst Jaime stood tall and moved slowly towards her. She remained seated where she was as Jaime knelt behind her and her breath hitched in her throat.
"You do know that it could be useful for you to tell me what you are talking about," Sarah said and Jaime saw the swell of her breasts as he crouched down behind her and looked over her shoulder to see the water lapping over them. He moved his eyes back to hers once she turned to look at him.
"Brienne," Jaime spoke. "A knight saw her come down here before the meal this evening...and after that meal she had fled..."
"How odd," Sarah acted nonchalant, refusing to give anything away. She did not truly trust Jaime with their information. She didn't really trust anyone so he shouldn't be too concerned about that. "She came down to see me and gave me some water. Where do you think she has gone?"
Jaime looked at her, his upper lip curling upwards before he moved his hand to run down her damp hair with his hand. She closed her eyes at the movement and Jaime took hold of her chin, delicately holding it in her fingertips.
"Sarah," Jaime whispered her name, "Brienne spoke with me earlier about returning Sansa and Arya to their mother. I did find it odd...he had demanded for her to stay here and she had told me to remember that I had promised to bring the children home...but now she has fled."
"Has Lord Bolton sent men after her?" Sarah wondered, Jaime's thumb moving across her jawbone in a feeble attempt to unease her. She remained stern on the matter, doing her best not to falter under his stare. "I doubt she has gone off to King's Landing on her own. The chances of her getting anywhere without your help are slim."
"That is what I thought," Jaime replied and Sarah adjusted her body in the water, removing his hand from her. She draped her arm across the stone Jaime stood on, her hand then coming to hold her chin whilst Jaime continued to talk. "I did wonder where she would have gone, but then I wondered about what you could have said to her."
"I said nothing," Sarah lied.
Jaime knew that she lying to him. He was no fool. He could see that she was lying. But for some reason he didn't push her on the matter. He didn't know why, but he kept silent. He stood up again and wandered over towards the sheets of cloths which sat on the bench at the side of the room.
"If you do not trust me enough to tell me then there is nothing more I can do, but I have no intention of telling Lord Bolton where the wench is," Jaime told her and Sarah felt a moment of guilt pang through her. Why should she feel guilty about lying to the man who was supposed to be her enemy?
"The Twins." Sarah spoke lowly and Jaime turned his eyes to look at her. He moved back over to her with a sheet and then left it by the side of the bath. He stood tall and arched his brow whilst Sarah shook her head, feeling foolish for even saying the words to him. Why did she trust him? How could she have given Brienne's location away?
"Robb Stark's uncle is getting married there," Jaime said and Sarah nodded.
"Why would he let you go free and then go to a wedding?" Sarah responded. "Why would he switch sides?"
Jaime knew that there was something odd happening, but he did his best not to think about it. All he wanted was to get to King's Landing in one piece to see his sister.
"You think he is plotting something against Robb?"
Sarah shrugged, unfolding the sheet and pulling her hair over one shoulder, squeezing it and watching the droplets of water move down her shoulder before she quickly stood and placed the sheet in front of her, refusing to show anything to Jaime. She did not need him mocking her form as well.
"I don't know," Sarah responded. "I just know that something is wrong and Brienne will achieve nothing by being in King's Landing."
"She was sent to return the Stark girls-"
"-And do you think that your sister is really going to let them go free?" Sarah wondered, adjusting the sheet around her body. Jaime noted that she had no new gown to wear, and he doubted Lord Bolton would give her anything. Her dress was ruined beyond belief and a stench came from it. Jaime sighed, knowing that he would see what he could do.
"Get changed," Jaime demanded. "We're not to discuss this again, Sarah."
"Then why did you ask me in the first place?" Sarah wondered back, snapping at him as he turned around and allowed her to pull her dress onto her body.
"Because I wanted to know the truth from you," Jaime responded.
"Why?" Sarah asked back and Jaime truly had no answer to that. There was something about her that he couldn't put his thumb on. Why did he care? He could go home now. He didn't need Sarah or Brienne or anyone else. But Sarah...there was something about her that he just couldn't shake.
"It doesn't matter," Jaime mumbled, waiting for her to finish changing.
She did so and she moved to stand in front of Jaime; "Then they did you ask?"
"Can you not leave anything alone, woman?" Jaime mumbled in annoyance and offered her his arm again.
She took it and kept silent for a few moments as they left the bathhouse and he escorted her to his chamber where she would be spending the night. He kept his grip firm as Sarah broke the silence between them.
"Brienne mentioned that you had a fever," she casually spoke and Jaime smirked as they walked through the corridors and he looked down to the stump which had caused him so much pain. He would have his revenge one day. He was determined about that.
"Locke thinks he has gotten away with this," Jaime motioned to his stump. "I suspect he has no idea what I can do."
"When do you intend to have your revenge?"
"Time is no issue to me," Jaime responded, his head shaking back and forth before he saw Sarah pull at her dress which was itching on her skin. The dress was ripped in multiple places and Sarah knew that she looked a sight.
"No," Jaime replied. "I will kill him one day."
Sarah could sense that it was a sore issue. She didn't want to push him on the matter. Jaime pushed the door to his chamber open and moved around the room whilst Sarah sat down at the chair to the desk. Jaime found a long shirt for her to wear instead of her dress, throwing it over to her. She startled as it hit her face and then tumbled to her lap.
"I will see if there is a clean gown for you tomorrow," Jaime promised her and Sarah stood up, moving behind the screen to change once more. The shirt scarcely covered her upper thighs, but she failed to care. She moved back out from the screen and Jaime moved his eyes over her slender form. He couldn't help himself from looking; it had been a long time since Jaime had seen Cersei.
"Stop staring," Sarah complained and she sank down on the bed, pulling the covers back to hide underneath so that she could cover herself up.
"You have a nice body," Jaime told her nonchalantly. "You shouldn't be ashamed for once in your life."
"It is hardly proper for me to go around looking like a whore," she muttered, slipping down the bed as she felt herself stifle a yawn. Her head hit the pillow and Jaime remained stood up as Sarah closed her eyes and longed for sleep.
"I doubt Stannis Baratheon would be pleased with his daughter at this moment in time," Jaime told her and Sarah scoffed, stuffing a hand underneath her pillow.
Jaime sunk down onto the bed along with Sarah, lying on top of the covers and on his back. Sarah looked at him with annoyance, a scowl crossing her face.
"What are you doing?" Sarah asked.
"I need to sleep too."
"Do you wish to add fuel to the rumours?" Sarah mumbled back, almost unable to hold her eyes open.
"Rumours will spread regardless," Jaime told her and went back to collect his thoughts.
He remained silent whilst Sarah felt herself fall to sleep. Her eyes closed and her breathing turned shallower as time went on. Jaime rolled his head to the side to look at her. She seemed peaceful for a while. It was not until Jaime went to douse the candles did he hear her mumbles. He left one candle lit, turning to look at Sarah as she rolled onto her back.
She continued muttering to herself, her voice and words incoherent. She took a few seconds before her mouth opened wide and a shrill scream left her. Jaime moved back over to the bed, bending over to tap Sarah on the shoulder.
"Sarah," he spoke her name lowly. "Sarah, wake up."
Jaime continued to shake her shoulder, doing his best to wake her from the nightmare she was held in. Jaime then forcefully shook her and she opened her eyes, panting for breath before she sat upright and her hands moved to Jaime's shoulders as she did her best to see Jaime's face and make out who he was.
"It's me...Jaime..." Jaime spoke to her and her hands held his upper arms whilst he moved his free hand to her waist. "What was it?" Jaime wondered.
"Nothing," Sarah lied. "Nothing important...anyway...I..."
"You're safe," Jaime promised her and he kept his arms around her whilst she moved her hair from her face and took deep breaths.
Jaime shocked himself at how much he actually cared about her. He was sat there, holding her as if he truly cared for her. His eyes were slightly wider than usual, something in them which Sarah had not seen before.
"My father's Red Priestess," Sarah whispered. "She had warned me of finding myself in a lion's den...and...I just thought King's Landing...things I don't want to think about..."
Jaime shook his head at her as he dropped her hands to her lap, not wanting to touch Jaime again for fear of the unknown.
"I won't let them hurt you," Jaime said and Sarah opened her mouth to protest, only to be silenced by him continuing to speak; "and don't tell me that I can do nothing. I can do as I please, Sarah. Yes, you may be kept as a hostage, but I will not allow Cersei or Joffrey to hurt you. I will send you back to Dragonstone as soon as I can."
His speech took her by surprise and Jaime moved his hand to run down her cheeks, the feel of her damp hair under his touch soothe on his fingers. A tear fell down Sarah's cheek as she allowed herself to crack.
"I'm scared," she admitted.
Sighing, Jaime moved his hand to the back of her head and moved her head to rest on his shoulder, his stump arm staying by his side and he felt Sarah's body sob. He knew how it felt to be a prisoner, but Jaime was stronger than she was. He was much stronger and, even though Sarah put on a brave face, he knew she was not as strong as she let on.
"I'm so scared," Sarah admitted and Jaime rested his chin on top of her head.
"I know," was all that he could offer her.
It was all that he could say.
...
A/N: Thank you to everyone reading and please do review!