Chapter 9 - Lord Bolton

Brianne guided them back to the Boltons not sure of how they would be received. Five of their men were beaten half to death by a stranger, in a strange outfit, with a strange weapon, and a strange accent, but what little choice did they have. The Kingslayer was in bad shape. Steve actually rode his horse with the Lannister on it to ensure he wouldn't fall again and he figured it would be faster than him carrying himself, but Steve had never really ridden a horse before. There was a first time for everything and ever since he came out of the ice, Steve had a lot of them. Suppose he always had a lot of them. They arrived at Harrenhal and several of the men gave them odd looks.

"Lord Bolton! Lord Bolton!" called Brianne. Steve looked around, analyzing the looks they were giving him, determining if they were friend or foe. They all looked like foes. Brianne got down from her horse.

"Where is Lord Bolton?" she asked one of his men.

"He's not available at the present time," he said in an unfriendly manner.

"We need a maester. The Kingslayer is not well," she retorted.

"And why should we help him?" said the man.

"Because if you don't uphold your oath … my father will have your head … " the Lannister mustered to say. Steve got down from the horse and helped the injured man from it almost like a parent lifting a child from a pony. Some of the men laughed, especially when they got full view of the Captain's outfit from behind.

"Oooo whoooo whoo whoo … I see you finally found a proper partner Kingslayer … I bet he could carry you across the threshold and fuck you silly," taunted one of the grizzly men. Steve held Jamie up but he had more than enough strength to give this man a death glare and then some. "But with an ass like that, I wonder who would be on top?" the man added looking at the captain with malicious intent. "He'd make most whores jealous," said the disgusting man who took his chance and slapped Steve on his behind like a horse. Some of the men laughed. Instinctively, Rogers elbowed him hard and so swiftly in the face, no one saw it coming. The sound of laughter died with the crunching noise of his nose breaking. The man fell to the ground with a great thud. Blood spewed from his face. The Lannister scoffed with a subtle grin hidden by his hair. Steve peered over his shoulder to see the man on the ground who clearly was not getting up. "Too bad you'll never find out," said Rogers. Several man gripped their swords.

"Where did you say you were from?" asked another Bolton soldier about to draw his sword. Jamie realized quickly that the man's accent and strange appearance was a dead giveaway. They should have ripped the clothes off the men he had beaten while they had the chance.

"I've never seen the sigil before," said the soldier. Brianne got in between them.

"He's with us," she said quickly. Steve was thankful she was taller than most of the men there.

"Not … another … word … " Jaime managed to say under his breath to him. Steve understood, but he didn't know for how long that would last.

"What's going on?" said a man with great authority in his voice.

"Lord Bolton," said Brianne of Tarth. The Lord noticed the strange man but his attention was more drawn to Jamie Lannister. The Kingslayer was in very bad shape.

"I see you are missing a hand," he said in a bold voice, "How did this happen?"

"My Lord!" said another one of his men. It was the one who fled that night.

"It was him!" he said pointing at the Captain who was still holding up the Kingslayer. "He killed your men!" he exclaimed in fright. Brianne glared at him fiercely.

"It was you and your men who cut off Sir Jaime's hand! Among other things … " she added through her teeth. Lord Bolton turned to the coward. "Is that so? Sir Jaime was suppose to return to Lord Tywin in one piece. What do you think he is going to do when finds out what you did to his son against my orders!" he scolded. Steve kept his mouth shut. He appreciated the justice, but he didn't trust this Lord Bolton at all. The man cowered before him, but gave one last word before he sealed his fate. "And what of the other men … this man killed them with nothing but a shield and his fists … " he said. Lord Bolton saw the bloodied man in the mud and looked towards Rogers. Steve kept a firm stare on him. "He's dangerous … " the man added. Steve wanted to speak, he didn't kill them … he just … left them unconscious.

"Silence! If my men could not handle a one handed man and a Lady, then they must have been too drunk or too weak against one man!" he scolded once again. Steve could feel Jaime slipping. "Lady Brianne, take him to the maester. Sir Jamie is not well."

"Thank you, Lord Bolton," she said with relief. Steve practically had to carry him to their doctor. Bolton watched them leave all the same. Steve's shield shined brightly, too brightly, with a sigil he did not know and he knew them all. The Lord of the Flayed Man was not done with him yet.