A/N: The Arya chapter is almost done. It has turned out to be long. I will post it soon. I may edit this one, I'm not sure I'm happy. If there are glaring errors I will fix them.

Chapter 54: Brienne

Brienne had settled into her role at Winterfell but a large part of her felt as though she was not fulfilling her oath. She could imagine that Lady Catelyn would have told her that she was behaving with honour and that she was adhering to her duty. Lady Stoneheart would not be so kind. Lady Stoneheart would be demanding that Sansa be found.

I should have gone with Lady Arya. I should be searching for Sansa.

Lord Rickon continued to be difficult in most matters but he was diligent in his lessons with her. He learned fast and Brienne expected that he would be an exceptional swordsman when he grew older. I pray he gets the chance to grow older. He listened to her as she tried to teach him about weapons and strategies.

He was far less patient in learning his letters with the maester but he was improving. Letters came from Arya every few days. Lord Rickon could read most of the words on his own now. He would smile when he read them but then he would go quiet and brood. He wanted to join his sister or he wanted her to return to Winterfell. Brienne knew the letters were meant to reassure him that Arya was safe but the further south she travelled, the angrier Rickon became.

I am not happy either.

She knew it was not her place to question but she had expected Lady Arya to return to Winterfell after Moat Cailin was secured. The letter announcing that she was marching to the Twins made her feel dismay and Lord Rickon was furious. He disappeared for hours and when one of the men found him in the godswood Shaggydog bit him. It had taken quite a lot of negotiation to quell demands for the direwolf to be locked away.

It was worse when the next letter was late. The order accusing the Lady Arya of treason had been sent to Winterfell. The young She-Bear had read it and shared the contents with Brienne. They had both agreed not to tell Lord Rickon. When the next letter came from the Lady Arya, it held the news that she had been proclaimed Queen in the North. Brienne could almost hear Arya's displeasure as she read the letter. The letter was addressed to both Brienne and Rickon and it assured them that she would not disinherit Rickon.

Do not worry little wolf, the claim remains yours. They need me for now but as soon as you are of age I will step down. Prince Aegon has given me a crown. I like wearing it as much as I expect you will but for now I must do my duty.

Brienne was relieved that she did not mention the order from Kings Landing in the letter. She could guess how it had come about. The Lannisters would not have expected to provoke this reaction. She was tempted to smile but for the mention of Prince Aegon. The Freys had received justice but Lady Arya, now Queen Arya, lingered in the Riverlands. She said they were returning the prisoners from the Red Wedding to their Houses but Brienne suspected there was more to it.

I wonder if her laughter has returned with her prince.

Brienne had expected Lord Rickon's fury over his sister journeying further south to grow even more but instead he withdrew more. He had kept her letters in his chambers. He shredded this one, protesting that he did not want a crown and his sister should not have one either. He then shut himself in his chambers and took his meals there. No amount of talking to him about his duty as a Stark and his promise to his sister could entice him out.

When he eventually did come out, he had ventured down to the dungeons. All the talk of justice had prompted him to visit Theon Greyjoy. It was only days later that Rickon insisted on Theon being freed from his cell. Brienne misliked it but there was naught to be done about it. Lord Wyman protested the loudest but it was the one occasion Rickon decided that as the Lord in Winterfell he would have his way.

She soon saw why he had done it. Theon Greyjoy was a pitiful, broken creature now. There looked to be no harm left in him. He may have tried to take Winterfell but the man who had done that no longer existed. Brienne listened to Theon telling Rickon stories from his youth, stories of Rickon's brothers and sisters and his parents and she understood.

Lord Wyman's displeasure over Theon was not as great as his displeasure over Roose Bolton's widow. Walda Bolton grew larger and in two moons there would be a Bolton heir. To hear Lord Wyman tell it the child was going to be double cursed, bearing Bolton and Frey blood. The Young She-Bear had been keeping a vigilant eye on things. Despite the misgivings, the child was innocent. Aly and Brienne shared a desire for no harm to come to it.

They had turned away some strangers at the gates. It did not feel right but Brienne remembered Arya's words before she had left. They needed to keep an eye out for threats from inside and outside the castle. Brienne would have been inclined to let them in but Shaggydog had reacted badly to their presence. Theon Greyjoy had spoken up for the first time to say that anybody the wolf misliked that much was somebody they should mislike too. The Young She-Bear had nodded at that and the men had been sent on their way with some food rations. They had not been happy.

One guest they did allow to stay a few days was Lord Howland Reed. Brienne was curious about him. He looked over Winterfell sadly, telling them that he had not been there since the Rebellion and was sorry to see the damage to the castle. He stated that he had seen the Lady Arya (as she then was) and it had prompted him to pay his respects at Winterfell. He spent some time speaking with Lord Rickon, telling him stories of Lord Eddard Stark and his siblings from before the war. Lord Rickon was most unhappy when he took his leave. Brienne was too distracted to feel too sorry.

Arya's last letter had included a piece of information which made Brienne feel constantly uneasy. The remark was innocent enough but Brienne had read the intent behind it. She knew it was a message for her.

We have been joined by a singer named Tom. He plays his harp well enough but I do not care for his singing. He has an interest in justice and I hope his idea of it does not differ from ours.

Brienne was certain she knew who the singer was and it filled her with a sense of foreboding. His presence so close to Arya meant that it was all but inevitable that she would cross paths with the other outlaws, especially given that they were travelling along the kingsroad and would pass the Inn at the Crossroads.

Did I do the right thing keeping it from her?

Brienne had agonised over it. She still was not certain what she should have done. She would not have known where to begin. Arya's views on death were unpredictable. Brienne had heard the valyrian saying slip from her lips over and over. All men must die. Brienne was not certain that the girl would be happy her mother lived but then again her attitude to death differed when it came to those she was close to. Duck had confided to Brienne of Arya's determination to protect the prince. Perhaps she would be pleased but would she be pleased about what her mother had become?

Queen Arya and Lady Stoneheart shared a thirst for vengeance but Brienne could see warmth still in Arya. There was mercy in the girl which the shade of her mother now lacked. It was also uncertain what Arya would now make of the Brotherhood. The girl was a little bitter at her experience though she did not appear to harbour hatred towards the outlaws she had met. Those people were now different Brienne suspected. Her experience differed from what Arya described of meeting them when she was a girl and when Lord Beric had led the Brotherhood.

A fear rose in her remembering what had happened. I should be searching for Sansa she thought again. She wondered at Jaime's fate. He had been determined to find the older Stark girl as his chance at reclaiming his honour. Brienne had parted ways with him when she heard the news that a girl claiming to be Arya Stark was in Storm's End. She did not doubt Jaime's determination to fulfil his oath but she felt she should be there. It was her oath too. She had thought Arya might help her find Sansa but now she had a duty to protect her little brother instead.

She looked at Lord Rickon, her young charge. Arya had tasked her with teaching him of honour. It was very difficult to practice what she preached. She did her best but it seemed no matter which way she turned she was breaking a promise to somebody.

Postscript: I'm not happy with my reference to Jaime. I kept it deliberately vague because I have no idea what will happen when he meets with Lady Stoneheart. I have assumed he survived somehow because I think he will. I just don't know how he got away so I haven't tried to guess.