Arya woke to sore muscles, under green tea scented blankets.
She was warm, and sleepy... and alone.
Her fingers twiched, and she stopped herself from sitting up to look for Gendry when she remembered.
She'd left him.
She'd left Gendry behind. There was no point in looking for him.
Her mind was fuzzy, and if it weren't for her aching body, she probably wouldn't remember she'd been so close to death at the hands of Ilyn.
"I'm sorry Gendry." she whispered out, the skin around a cut she had on her lip split open as she spoke.
She closed her eyes against the sting and stopped her mind, just clearing it of everything and everyone except him.
For just this one moment.
Just a dew seconds.
She would let herself think of him, before she had to go back to the chaos her life was.
"I'm sorry." she repeated inaudibly.
And she meant it.
She was sorry she had to leave him.
Leaving him had been the last thing she wanted to do... but it was either that or losing him.
Even as she thought it though, it felt stupid, and a lie.
Liar.
She sat up with a pained groan, pushing Gendry to the back of her mind. Everything spun, and her head felt too heavy for her neck.
She felt drowsy. Almost drugged.
When the room stopped moving, she let her eyes wander around, examining her surroundings.
The bed she laid in was large and white, and the room even larger, and lit only by the dim light that bled in through the white curtains that ran along an entire wall.
There was not much in it. A black chest of drawers, and a large, black and white painting of someone's back and buttocks on the far wall, opposite the bed.
Gray walls. White oak floor boards. And an array of mirrors that served as a headboard.
Arya turned to stare at the thin girl in the mirror. Her hair was a mop of brown, uneven strands. Pinkish-red bruises ran along her cheekbones, and the cut on her lip was larger than she'd expected. She looked sad. Sad and angry.
Her features betrayed no emotion, but the anger could be seen in her eyes... like a flame at the back of the pupil, licking away at any other emotion there.
She licked her lip involuntarity, tasting the blood.
Her eyes fell to the raw, bluish rope burns around her wrists.
They were crusted with blackened blood, and Arya knew they would leave a vicious scar.
She pulled the covers off herself, about to jump out of bed, when she realized she was in nothing but her sports bra and knickers.
She caught a glimpse of two large bruises on either side of her ribcage before she pulled the covers around herself again.
"What the hell?" she said under her breath as she searched her mind for answers.
There had been a man. A man got her out of there...
But who?
Her eyes sweeped the room for her clothes, but they were nowhere to be seen.
She remembered Ilyn's man had torn up the boy shirt Yoren had given her, and her jacket and scarf set were probably still back there, in that basement.
Out in the hall someone placed something down on a counter, and she heard footsteps. Where the hell am I?
"Hello?" she called nervously.
Her eyes went crazy, darting around the room, but she found nothing that could be used as a weapon. They snapped to the door when she heard the footsteps stop and the door knob twist.
Arya gasped as the man stepped inside.
"You?"
"You're awake." Jaqen said with a smile.
"It was you!" she stated rudely.
His smile faded a fraction as he nodded his head once. "Indeed, lovely girl. You'd be dead if it weren't for me."
There was a hint of arrogance in his voice as he said the last.
"Where am I?"
"My house... in my bedroom... in my bed."
"You were following me."
He chuckled, walking to one end of the windows and pulling at a chord. The curtains split open. It was white outside. White with snow. Snow on the ground and snow falling from the sky. "Something like that." he confessed.
Of course you were, how else would you know where I was?
She remembered she was naked under the sheets.
"And you stripped me."
His smiled returned at her embarrassed tone. "I wanted you to sleep comfortably. I'm sorry."
He didn't sound the least bit sorry.
Arya pulled the sheets tighter around herself.
"I need pants, and a shirt." she demanded.
She could feel her face warming up at the realization that Jaqen had pulled her pants off, and that that he'd seen her in only her underclothes.
"Of course," he told her, amused, as he walked towards the back of the room, and in through two small swinging doors.
He walked out moments later, holding a blue dress, in her size.
"It's your size, I believe." he told her, placing the dress on the edge of the bed.
"I prefer my pants and one of your shirts..."
He nodded with a grin. "You'll find your pants in there." he pointed to the shuttered double doors he'd just come out of. "And you can choose whichever shirt."
He bowed his head slightly, and turned to walk out of the room, closing the door behind him.
She slipped out from under the covers, hissing out in pain as she ran across the room on her tip toes, and through the double door into a large closet.
Her jeans were folded over a white leather ottoman, one of her boots sat on the floor next to it.
She remembered Ilyn's man had taken off the other one, so that was probably left behind as well.
Jaqen had washed the jeans, or had them washed. The bruises on her torso made it hard for her to move, so it took her twice as long to slip into them.
She walked to the side of the closet that had nothing but shirts in it. They were all arranged by color. She reached for a dark maroon button up.
She had a hard time slipping her arms into the sleeve as well, and grimaced when the fabric brushed against the bruises.
When she walked out of the bedroom and down the hall to the large lounge, she found Jaqen in the kitchen, looking almost silly in an apron as he flipped an omelet gracefully in a pan.
The entire room seemed to be swallowed by his presence, so that he didn't fit at all in this scenario. Long reddish hair tied back. The sleeves of his light gray sweater pushed up. Black apron neatly tied onto his body with a neat bow.
He turned to her, his eyes settling first on her face, then on the shirt she'd picked.
"It's a good color on you." he pointed at the shirt with the spatula.
Arya looked down at the shirt. It hung halfway down her tighs. She'd rolled the sleeves up to keep them from touching her wrists.
"Sit." he said hospitably as he turned his back to her, and gave his attention back to the food he was preparing.
She sat on the bar, letting her eyes wander around the the large room. The marble bar was what separated the kitchen from the lounge, and, although it was a large house, and expensive from the look of it, and had a very bachelor-y feel to it, it seemed almost beneath Jaqen.
He placed plate infront of her, and insisted she try and make and effort to eat, but she felt nauseated after the first bite, so she just drank the coffee, feeling a bit bad about leaving the meal whole.
"I'll be honest. I thought I had you figured out," he said in his rich accent as he strolled across the room after he'd finished the dishes, and towards the wall made out of nothing but glass that overlooked snowy hills that didn't seem to end. "I never expected you to leave your friend behind."
Arya took another sip from the mug, turning slightly on the stool to face him.
"I had to."
"Yes. You did. How did you manage to get caught by the Lannister man?"
Arya didn't know the answer to that herself. The more she tried to remember, the fuzzier the images became.
"Where were you going?" he asked when she didn't answer.
Arya turned to face Jaqen. "I was coming to you."
"Get him out of here." Jaqen said, and the man from the couch walked up to Gendry, as did Lem.
"No." Gendry protested. "Use me! I'm..."
But he didn't finish his sentence. Jaqen's man drove his fist into Gendry's stomach, knocking the air out of him.
"What are you doing?" Arya yelled, running towards Gendry's hunched body.
He tried to swing at the man, but instead got a blow to his face with the back of a gun.
"Stop!" Arya shrieked, running towards the man instead, and jumping on his back, her fists tight around his hair.
"Get off me!" the man yelled, but she just pulled harder, driving her knees repeatedly into the man's back and ribs, until she felt someone grab her from behind.
Gendry was already being dragged out of the room by Lem and Anguy.
She turned to face Harwin, who had his arms around her and was pulling her off the man. She let go of the man's hair, dampening her anger enough to allow Harwin pull her off.
Someone was laughing, and when she searched the room, she realized it was Jaqen.
"Leave us." he dismissed everyone with a sweep of his hand.
"No, I'm leaving." she said, turning for the door.
"You won't." Jaqen said, his tone completely serious now.
"Stop me." she dared, determined to go find out if Gendry was ok.
"He'll be fine. It was just a small hit on the head. We have business to discuss." he turned to Harwin. "I said, leave us."
"I have no business with you." she said, but she was no longer walking to the door.
Everyone left, the last person closing the door.
Jaqen walked to the back of the room, and sat on his chair.
"Gendry is Robert's son." he said casually, as if he were talking to a friend about a simple, meaningless matter.
Arya's entire body reacted to that.
"His secret is safe. You should not worry."
She was about to deny it all, but he spoke first.
"I've been sitting on this information for over a year now. I know what news like this could do for me. Perhaps gain me a chance at a bribe. With the Lannisters. But that's not how I work. The conflict is between the Lannisters and myself, and I don't want to bring anyone into this messy situation."
"Then why do you need me?"
Jaqen smiled. "Like I said... you and I, Arya... We have more in common than you can imagine."
"I doubt that."
Jaqen chucked. "Firstly, we share the Lannisters as a common enemy. But there's something else..."
"Arya?"
Her eyes snapped up to Jaqen, the memories pulling back into her minds like ocean waves returning to the sea.
"Are you alright?" Jaqen asked, with a tone of concern.
Arya looked down at the black coffee in her mug.
"You're still in shock." he said, walking away from the window, towards her.
"I'm fine." she told him.
"Maybe you should let me take a look at those bruises. I didn't want to before. Not until you were awake. But they need treating."
"I said I was fine." Arya wanted to stop feeling this drowsy and numb so she could leave. Coming to Jaqen was a mistake. She knew that now.
"Please." he insisted in a cool voice as he knelt infront of her, looking up at her with those piercing blue eyes. "Just a look."
Arya slid forward on the stool with a roll of her eyes, and slid her shirt up until the bruises were exposed.
Jaqen locked his hands together, and tucked them in between his knees as he leaned forward, inspecting the bruise with only his eyes. Arya could feel his breath fanning over her belly button, and she tugged the shirt down quickly, feeling uncomfortable with the proximity.
"You'll live." he said as he rose to his feet. He picked up her wrists with his hands, bringing them up near his face. "I have something for these." he told after a quick look, and he placed them back on her lap.
Arya closed her eyes, trying to will the drowsiness away.
When she opened them again, Jaqen was walking out of a room near the end of a hallway opposite the one that led to his bedroom. He was holding a black box. He placed it on the bar, sitting next to her. and opened it.
It was a first aid kit.
"Jaqen?" Arya said hesitantly.
"Hmm?" he pulled out a small brown glass bottle, turning it under the light as he squinted his eyes at the label in the back.
Arya bit her lip, taking a deep breath, feeling herself begin to think twice before she spoke.
Stupid Gendry. He had begun to rub off on her.
"Remember that thing you said . . . " she let out quickly, before she though better of it. "When we first met?"
"I know about Gendry, but I've done nothing with the knowledge. What more proof do you need that you can trust me?"
"You could find some other way to get rid of the Lannisters. You're obviously a powerful man. You don't really need me. So then why use me? You say you want to help, but what's in it for you? How do you benefit from helping me?"
Jaqen rose from his chair, taking slow steps towards her, until he stood less than a foot away from her. She wanted to take a step back, but feared it would be misunderstood by him. That'd he'd think her to be afraid of him, so she stood her ground.
Jaqen swept the room with his hand, looking around the room. "You see this place. These people; my workers, they know this man here." he places his hands on his chest. "as their Boss . . . But i have more than one face Arya. This man is many things... many men, and also, no one. To the Lannisters, this man was nothing but a seemingly harmless loan shark... to the woman that was here when you arrived, a lover... I have been so many things, and I've had so many faces... like the many facets of a gem. No face truer than the other. No face worth less than any of the others... All important. All making up the rock.
All humans are like that. Very few reach out to embrace that part of their humanity though...
Right now, the face I choose for myself, is the face of a friend.
Your friend.
I've been a wanted man for year... yet I've been here in plain sight. Not hidding. Not running. When a man is not driven by greed, or anger, or vengeance, or anything, that man becomes powerful.
I look up to no one. Give accounts to no one. I am the only one in control of my life, and I choose to live as many lives as I can, even when I've only been given one.
That is what's kept me free all these years.
I have no weaknesses.
Being governed by no emotions has kept me free of weakness."
"Maybe that is your weakness." Arya said boldy, interrupting his speech. "To think you have no weakness can be your weakness."
Jaqen laughed at that.
"There's more to you than meets the eye, Arya Stark. Far more..."
"I said many things." Jaqen said, pulling out a gaze and a bandage wrap from the black box.
"The thing about faces..."
Jaqen froze, his eyes rising slowly to meet hers. "What about the faces?"
"I ... I want that."
xxxxxxxxxx
When he sent Sansa the flowers with the message:
I'm sorry for your loss, PS 11.
he wasn't really hoping she'd figure out it out.
But when he arrived at the viewing platform in Parkwood Springs and saw her standing there, he almost wept with relief.
She was wearing all black, and hugging herself tightly, looking out at the city; her red hair the only color amongst the white sky above and white city below.
He stepped next to her, taking in the sight.
The city was alive. Moving. People going and coming, and living their lives. . .
He'd seen this view millions of times before. But his eyes saw everything different now. There was less color in the world, and it had nothing to do with the fact that winter was here, kissing the trees to sleep, and clouding the skies, stripping the city of it's color... but everything to do with his situation.
"I didn't think you'd figure it out." he spoke out, to the city, watching as his breath rose before him in a small white cloud.
"PS . . . . Parkwood Springs . . . . father brought us here all the time, it wasn't too difficult to solve." she said, almost sarcastically.
Robb nodded.
"Where were you?"
The question struck him, like lightning.
He turned his head away, trying to find the words to say.
"Where were you?" she repeated, turning to him and grabbing his arms, forcing him to face her. "Why weren't you answering your phone. Mother died days ago, so where have you been Robb?" she sniffed, letting her head fall, and tears began to roll down her cheeks.
Robb took her shoulders and brought her into his arms, wrapping them tightly around her.
"You're the oldest Stark. You're suppose to look after us... take care of us..." she whispered into his chest. "where were you?"
A single tear escaped his eye as he kissed the top of her head, taking in her scent. She'd missed his sister so much. He closed his eyes, feeling the rest of the tears come.
"I've been so alone. . . I'm caged... and I'm alone... and everything's gone so wrong Robb." she sniffed thickly, clutching his jacket in her white fists. "It's just... too much..."
Robb felt disgusted at himself.
He had wallowed in his own pain and loss, when he had a brother and a sister who needed him.
"They were the firm ground beneath our feet... and now their gone... and Rickon and Arya... why is this happening to us?"
Robb grabbed her face, pulling her back enough to look into her eyes. "I know why..."
She wiped a tear from her cheek, composing herself with a deep breath.
There is so much of mother in her.
"I think I do too..." she confessed calmly.
"The Lannisters." Robb said hesitantly.
"The Lannisters." she agreed with a nod.
He sighed, relieved. He had feared the hardest part of this reunion would be to convincing Sansa that her beloved Joffery's family was responsible for what was happening to their family.
Now he felt silly for underestimating Sansa. There was something changed in her. She was stronger now, and there was steel and sharpness in her eyes.
With her by his side, he felt a strength ignite inside of him.
A strength that came from her.
From the name Stark.
From him.
And it had a voice.
It said, "the Lannisters will pay."
xxxxxxxxxx
The earth beneath him was moving as the wench dragged his body over the frozen ground; up the hill, and back to the cabin.
He cursed at himself for getting caught.
He had been so close. So close.
But he was too weak to fight now. His wounds were full of snow and dirt, and his limbs were numb, and there was nowhere to run to. Not in this cold and without a car.
He would let the wench drag him back to the cabin, and as soon as he was able, he would make a second attemp at running. This time, he'd take the keys.
There was no longer any feeling in his bare feet and he only hoped he didn't have frost bite.
His burns were more alive than ever; the pain snaking in aggressively. Throbbing. Cold. And merciless.
After climbing a steep slope, they came to a sudden stop, and his body fell to the floor as Brienne knelt on the ground behind a tree, her hold still tight on his arm.
They should have been by the cabin by now. He hadn't gone that far. He was about to ask her why'd he stopped, when she heard some voices.
He began to twist, trying to sit up, but Brienne tightened her grip on his arm, pulling him towards her and sitting him up herself.
They were less than 20 meters from the cabin, which was being ransacked by a couple of men. One was wearing a bright orange. A little to conspicuous for thiefs...don't you think?
The other was large and trollish, with a thick Scottish accent.
A large black van was parked behind Brienne's car.
"Who are they!?" Brienne demanded in a hushed tone, squeezing his arm.
"I don't know." he said, trying to count the men. There was two outside, but there was also a voice that came from inside.
Jaime noticed they weren't stealing anything. Just trashing the place.
This could be a way out... or a way to get in deeper than her already was.
"Boss!" a voice called from inside. That makes three. Three men. "Take a look at this."
The man in the orange jacket walked back inside, while the troll lifted a metal pipe he'd been using to break the cabin windows, and smashed it on the Land Rover's windshield.
"Shit!" Brienne breathed out besides him.
"Where's your gun?" Jaime asked her.
"In there."
"You were chasing me without a weapon. What if I had tried to kill you?"
"Be quiet!" she whispered, slamming her palm angrily against the tree trunk they were hidding behind.
A branch cracked overhead, and a large clump of snow suddenly fell, landing on his back.
The pain was blinding, but Brienne was quick to slap her hand over his mouth before he could manage a decent snarl.
The sudden movement made her knee loose grip on the snow she was kneeling on, making her fall on her face and slide down the slope.
Jaime attempted to help her, but since his hands were tied behind his back, all he managed to do was slip himself, sliding down the snowy slope, and crashing next to Brienne.
"Who's there!" the troll carried down to where they lay on the snow.
Jaime glanced over at Brienne out of the corner of his eye.
"Boss! Nick!"
Brienne lurched to her feet, grabbing Jaime by the arms. "Get up!"
"You there! Who the fuck are you?"
Jaime and Brienne both turned up to the trees, where troll stood, pipe still in hand. Brienne lifted Jaime off the snow, letting him lean against her.
He felt his legs shake, threatening to give up under him. "I might ask you the same question." he barked up at them in his most intimidating voice. "That's my property you're destroying."
But being half naked, with both hands tied behind his backm and a raw back and chest, he knew he was doing an outstanding job at having the opposite effect.
Troll man began to walk down the slope, careful not to slip, and the orange jacket and a blonde man in all black came into view at the top of the hill. "Who's that Marc?" Blondie called down.
"He's a Lannister." Troll replied as he tossed the large metal pipe aside and pulled his gun out.
"A Lannister." orange jacket repeated stupidly. They were both walking down towards him and Brienne now as well.
"Yes." Jaime called up. "Was enjoying a romantic small getaway with my wife. So why don't you just be on your way, and I won't be forced to press charges" he tried to smile, tightening his tight hand around the first thing he found to keep himself from falling. It was Brienne's wrist.
Surprisingly, the wench didn't pull away.
"Romantic." Blondie said once all three men had reached the bottom of the hill. They circled them, stading several feet away from Brienne and him. Troll's eyes fell on Jaime's chest.
"She's kinky. . ." Jaime smirked.
His legs were about ready to give in. "But a tigress in bed."
The three men before them burst into laughter, and Jaime's grin widened. He felt Brienne tense next to him, and he tightened his grip around her wrist, to both, try and relax her, and to keep himself balanced.
This is not the time to be shy, Brienne. We're trying to sell something here.
From the story Brienne had told him earlier, he had come to the conclusion that she was a virgin, and that she had never had a boyfriend. She'd known Renly since sixth form, and they had remained friends ever since.
If she had been in love with him all those years, he doubted she'd ever gone on dates, or even had a boyfriend. Perhaps male friends, but no lovers.
He just couldn't picture her as the dating type, to be honest. There was nothing romantic about her.
"Now, that's a load of bull shit! You're Jaime Lannister. That's a truth. But you ain't got yourself a wife. So why don't you tell us, what's really going on here, love. She have you here by force? We saw there was a struggle inside. And the table with the tools." said the man in the orange jacket.
Jaime searched his mind for another lie, but he was in too much pain to think properly. He decided he'll just tell the truth. What did he have to lose, anyway?
He nodded.
The man in the orange jacket, signaled to both of his men at that, and the other two began to walk towards towards Brienne and Jaime.
"If you know I am a Lannister, then you know it would not be smart to hurt me. You know I have money. You know who my father is. My family is looking for me, right now!"
"Stop." the man in the orange jacket called, and both of his men stilled where they stood. "You're right. You're quite right. Boss' only instructions were to fuck this place up. He never considered the place to be vacant this time of year, but I'm sure he'd oppose to having any harm come over the Lannisters... You may leave." he turned to the troll. "Take the girl."
"Don't touch me!" Brienne warned them, pulling her wrist free of Jaime's grip, nearly making him fall, but he caught himself.
The troll to a step towards her, about to grab her, but Brienne grabbed him by the arm and pull him towards her, lifting her knee into his stomach.
Jaime took an involuntary step back, jaw dropped in a shock.
Blondie quickly grabbed Brienne from behind, while troll recovered from the hit. Brienne began to struggle with Blondie, but troll was already walking towards them, and the man in the orange jacket, perhaps realizing Brienne was stronger than she seemed, walked over to pick up the pipe troll had tossed aside, and when Brienne had both men on the floor, swung it against the back of her head, knocking her to the floor.
"Why don't you be on your way now," he turned to Jaime with a smile, pulling out a pocket knife from his jacket. "And let us finish our job... be sure to tell your father that Jaqen sends his regards."
"Jaqen?"
"Yes. And about your payment to us...don't worry. We'll find you."
"Payment?"
"Your freedom must be worth something."
Jaime nodded, as he turned on wobbly legs, so that his tied hands were facing the man.
The knife wasn't too sharp, and it too a while for the man to sawhis way through the binds. The soreness Jaime felt as his arms fell forward after days of being tied back in the same position, felt almost orgasmic.
Blondie and Troll were already dragging Brienne up the snowy slope, her short blonde hair soaked in blood.
Jaime couldn't help feeling sorry for her. But if he bargained for her freedom, he would just become her prisoner once more.
It was better her than him.
When they reached the cabin, Troll took the pipe from the man in orange and beat the spiderwebbed windshield off the Land Rover while the rest of them walked into the cabin.
Jaime slipped his swollen, frozen feet into his shoes, and slipped into his coat.
He stole at quick glance over to Brienne, whom they'd thrown at the center of the main room. Blondie was tying her hands behind her back.
"Will you hurt her?" Jaime asked the man in orange as he grabbed her car keys off the table.
"What's it to you?" he replied as he walked over to Brienne, kicking her leg to grab her attention.
"Say good bye to your little torture toy." he told her, and she looked up at Jaime with genuinely fearful eyes.
Jaime looked away quickly, heading out the door before she could stir more feelings inside of him.
He slipped into the car, grunting as he leaned back on the seat.
Brienne screamed from inside the cabin, and his skin filled with goose prickles.
He closed his eyes.
Get out of here, Jaime. Just get out of here now.
He lifted the keys to the ignition with trembling hands. "Fuck me." he whispered, shaking his head at himself as he finally managed to feed the key in and start the car.
He turned the gear to reverse, avoiding the van carefully as he backed up until he felt hidden from view.
He turned the car off, walking to the other side of the cabin and punching in the numbers on the garage lock,
The door slid up, and he walked in, taking in the sight of all of his father's weapons.
He walked towards a rifle, but then thought better, and reached for a gun, pulling it off the rack, and then walked towards the cabinet on the side of the garage, pulling the door open and searching for the proper ammunition to load it.
The men could be heard laughing as he walked around the cabin, towards the main entrance, both hands pointing the gun forward.
If Cersei ever found out about this, he would never hear the end of it.
This had to be the stupidest thing he had ever done.
What the hell are you doing Jaime?
"I wish I knew." he whispered to himself as he reached the door, and flattened his back against the wall outside.
"Let's see what's under this shirt..." Blondie said, and Jaime heard the sound of cloth tearing.
Suddenly, Brienne was growling furiously, and Jaime heard Blondie scream.
"She bit me! The wench fucking bit me!" he yelled, and Jaime smilled, oddly proud of Brienne, and pushed himself off the wall and stepped in through the door.
"Her name, is Brienne." he said, pointing the gun at Blondie first, pulling the trigger. A bullet shot into his chest. Troll reached for his gun, but Jaime had already turned to him, and pulled the trigger twice, putting two bullet holes on the man's forehead.
Both men collasped back on the floor, their blood quickly pooling around them.
When he turned to the man in orange, he held his hands in the air, in surrender. "I have heard, a Lannister always pays his debts . . . How will you pay your debt to a dead man." he asked Jaime.
Jaime laughed at that.
"You said you'd collect my freedom's worth... well, I've done too much in my life to deserve to be a free man."
He pulled the trigger, and watched as red blossomed on the man's orange jacket, right above his heart, before he fell, first to his knees, then forward, on his face.
Jaime sighed, letting his hand relax as he turned to Brienne.
Her hands and feet were tied together behind her, so that her back curled backwards awkwardly. Her white shirt and bra had been ripped open, revealing her breasts, and the bandage near her shoulder. That's where Cersei shot her.
His eyes fell on the two small peaks for a moment before he averted his eyes to her face.
She was red, but Jaime didn't know if it was from the blows she received, or if she was blushing.
He picked up her coat from the floor and drapped it over her shoulders.
"Why the hell did you come back?" she demanded angrily.
I wish I knew, you ungrateful wench.
For the first time in his life, he had actually done something completely selfless.
This woman had tortured him, and even threatened to cut off his cock. He doubted she would have gone through with it, but a threat was a threat, and especially when directed at one's manhood, shouldn't to be taken lightly.
And instead of being grateful, she was biting hid head off.
"If you don't recall, I was recently tortured myself, and it's..."
"Oh, don't act like you suddenly care about others!"
Jaime really wanted to hit her now.
He lifted the gun, pointing it at her head.
"There you go... That look suits you." she said tauntingly.
The blood on her hair had already darkened, and her face was swollen, and beginning to turn a dark pink.
Jaime recalled every single time she'd brought the hot poker against his skin. He recalled the smell of burnt flesh, that made him gag. The way he had to reach deep into his mind to find his mental picture of Cersei, and how that had bolstered him when the pain was too much, and all he wanted to do was give in.
His finger twitched over the trigger.
But then he remembered Renly, lying lifelessly on the floor. And Brienne, crying over him.
He let his hand fall with a sigh, the gun suddenly too heavy.
He looked into her eyes.
So blue.
They staring up at him furiously. But after a long moment, they went from angry to confused, the crease between her brows slowly fading.
"I'm leaving. Stay out of our way, and you have my word, that I won't hold what you've done to me against you. Gendry's fate is set though. Don't try to get in out way. Don't try to be a hero. This is far bigger than you imagine. I can't guarantee that my sister won't try and have you killed if you try something. So you should really stay out of it. If you don't, I'll have no other choice, but to ..." he trailed off when he saw her eyes dart away from his, fixing on something behind him.
He was about to turn, when something heavy hit his head.
Everything turned white, then green, as he fell forward, landing on his face.
His skull felt like it was ready to explode.
"Gendry!" Brienne cried out with relief.
Someone slipped a foot under his stomach, flipping him on his back.
When his eyes finally focused on the large man that stood before him, he felt his blood freeze.
"We meet again." Sandor smiled down at him.
Jaime closed his eyes. This has to be a joke.
AN
Ok, first off, I want to start by apologizing for saying I'd have this chapter up the day after I posted c24...
I have officially decided not to ever again say when i'll have a chapter up... cause with my work, school and theatre schedules the way they are, I never know...
Now, about the chapter:
This chapter had some flashbacks. They are flashbacks, giving us small glimpses to what we didn't see back in c17 during the conversation between Arya and Jaqen.
In c17, we go from Gendry getting beat up, to him waking up back at the hotel, and Arya stitching him up, suddenly saying, "i trust Jaqen."
Well, for those who were wondering, that's how Jaqen proved himself. By promising to keep Gendry's secret.
So, if you guys don't trust Jaqen in this chapter... good! Good for you! I don't trust him either...
If you trust him and think he's hot... well, I can't blame you :)
Jaime, and Brienne! A lot going on with them. It was just a huge mix of many of their scenes in SoS... the bathhouse where he sees her naked, the bear cage, when he returns for her, their capture.. and I think a few more...
I'm still in the dark about where these two will take me...
Robb and Sansa! Finally, two Starks reunite!
I want to thank you all for your reviews! Their my fuel! Keep feeding me my darlings
^o^
I want to also thank partyinthenorth for offering to be my beta! yay for me!
thanks maddie
and I'll take this moment, to bow down to you all, for being so wonderful and so supportive of this little adventure i've taken to write this story.
I don't get tired of mentioning that it is thanks to you all, to your reviews and support, that I have made it this far!
*bows*
Until next time, my freaky darlings!