The next morning, Brienne had reached a decision. She didn't want to lose the chance of befriending Jaime due to her father's mistrust. She understood his protectiveness, but she was tired of allowing what others thought to determine her life. There was nothing indecent in spending time with a friend. It wasn't as if they were going to do improper things anyway; her father's guards following her and Jaime everywhere were an effective deterrent. It was annoying to have two shadows watching their every move, but Brienne could tolerate that measure, if that assuaged her father.

Of course, Septa Roelle also had a few objections against her clothes for the day and her behavior, especially when dealing with a man and one from a great house, but Brienne ignored her. She'd stopped being a little girl years ago and the sour woman didn't scare her. Her words often were harsh and tactless, but Brienne had learned to turn a deaf ear to most of what she said in scolding. Brienne had never complained and didn't wish for the woman to lose her position. All in all, she was almost an adult and the septa didn't have that kind of power over her anymore.

She was the first one to arrive at the breakfast table, which wasn't strange. Everyone had gone to bed late the previous night, as Brienne knew well. Her father wasn't a morning person, usually sleeping it off until almost midday, save for the days his duties demanded his presence earlier. As for their guests, she knew for certain that they'd stayed up until quite an advance hour.

A servant asked if she wanted breakfast served, but she said that it would be better to wait for the others to arrive.

The next one to make an appearance in the main hall was Jaime, right a minute after herself. Her heart did a somersault at the sight of him. He was as handsome as ever, with his morning face, the shadow of a fair stubble on his jaw and cheeks, and it was obvious that he'd made a hasty attempt to fix his almost shoulder-long golden hair. His clothes were discreet, having forsaken the Lannister colors, and they fitted his figure in a way that made her knees almost buckle.

He was by far the handsomest man she'd ever seen, and she couldn't believe that he was there, willing to seek her company.

"Good morning, Lady Brienne," he said, bowing politely.

"Good morning, Ser Jaime," she replied in return, nodding her head in greeting. "Please, take a seat." He waited for her to sit down to comply. His unwavering politeness disarmed her. And she liked his peculiar mix of gallantry and mischief. "I remember having asked you yesterday to call me just Brienne. At least when no one else is within earshot," she reminded him. He'd continued to call her Lady Brienne or my lady despite her request, surely out of courtesy and fear of disrespecting her, but she didn't mind if he forwent the formality.

He smiled with that familiar glint of mischief in his emerald eyes. "I'll do if you call me simply Jaime."

"It's a deal then," she agreed, smiling too.

"It is." He then looked a bit shy. "I'm sorry for being late. I'm afraid I've overslept. Had some trouble finding sleep."

She blushed, remembering her eavesdropping, but luckily he didn't know that she'd spied on him accidentally. "It's understandable. You must miss your home and its familiar comforts," she sympathized.

He seemed to ponder her assumption. "Not really," he declared frankly. "Casterly Rock is too huge and there's no true joy left for me there. To tell the truth, this journey has come as an opportune means of getting away from everything."

Brienne felt her tongue stammering at her next question, too curious to stop herself. "Are you... Are you being successful in your... quest for a... a bride? Surely you've met a few candidates in the kingdoms you've gone accross. But that's an indiscretion on my part, and you don't have to answer..."

Jaime shot her a crooked smile, non-committally. "Well, well, my lady. It seems that gossip travels fast, doesn't it?" Brienne's cheeks reddened even more. She must be almost purple at that rate. "But I'll try to answer your question as honestly as I can. I didn't plan this journey with the intention of looking for a bride; that was just the cover to appease my father. As I've told you, I was eager to get as far away from everything as possible. But I suppose that a side effect of all this adventure will have to be actually considering a candidate among the ones available to become the next Lady Lannister. However, I've sworn to myself that I'll only choose someone I'm genuinely interested in and who reciprocates the sentiment. That's an inamovible condition and I don't care what my father thinks. I'll cross that bridge when the moment comes, but I'm adamant that I won't suffer, or make a woman suffer, through a loveless marriage."

Brienne felt absurdly both hopeful and disappointed at his declaration. Hopeful because he'd assured that he'd only choose someone he was interested in. And disappointed because of his comment about the women available, as that restricted the choice to the great houses. Or didn't it have to? Ser Jaime looked like a man very capable of facing up to his father and fighting for his self-determination. But then, his father was Tywin Lannister. His mere mention inspired terror virtually in everyone.

She was pulled out of her musings by her father's entrance with Lord Tyrion at his heels. The youngest Lannister looked a bit the worse for wear after staying up late and he seemed to be forcing himself to drag his feet to the breakfast table with effort. She risked a glance in Jaime's direction and caught the indulgent and amused look in his eyes when he stared at his brother.

It was evident once more that there was a deep bond between the young Lannisters, and Brienne envied them. She would have given anything to have Gal and the twins back. She and Gal had been very close, and losing him had left a void in her soul impossible to fill, a wound which would never heal entirely. As for her little sisters, they'd lived for a very short time, just a year, before the Stranger claimed them, but it had been enough for Brienne to come to love them fiercely.

The devastation of the triple loss, along with their mother's, was something no one could ever recover from, not even a little child as Brienne was at the moment. It broke some vital cornerstone inside her, leaving her struggling to stand upright. She tried to make up for her orphan and weakened soul with exerting herself physically in the yards, getting stronger, keeping her mind busy, focused on the trainings.

That void never faded.

"Good morning. Sorry for the tardiness," her father apologized. He also looked haggard and hungover, but Brienne was resigned to that usual morning view. It didn't make it less painful to watch, however. Selwyn was wasting himself day after day and Brienne felt useless to help him.

"Good morning," Tyrion echoed gruffly.

As soon as the four of them were sitting at the table, a couple of servants hurried to serve breakfast.

"Ehm, Ser Jaime... If you don't have any plans for the morning... Uh, would you fancy training with me? Fresh oponents are always welcome, and even more someone as skilled as you. It helps me improve." Then she deliberately added as an afterthought: "That is, if my father doesn't have any objections."

Selwyn shot her a sharp look. "Well, if Ser Jaime wishes to train with you, then go ahead, youngsters," he acquiesced, with a hint of reluctance, but he didn't deny her request, as Brienne imagined he wouldn't if she raised the topic in front of their guests, because it would be ruder than necessary on his part. And besides, it was her who'd requested a sparring session with Jaime, not the other way round, and her father didn't have any reasons to deny her that publicly. She'd come up with that course of action carefully.

Jaime smirked, staring at father and daughter with a touch of poorly hid surprise. Perhaps he'd believed that he wouldn't have been allowed to spend time with her after the previous night's conversation in the sudy. "Oh, I see that kicking my ass hard has become a popular pastime around here. You want more of that today, don't you? But I warn you, I won't make it easy, my lady," he challenged cheekily.

"Neither will I," she retorted.

"I wouldn't expect less," he approved without missing a beat.

Then Tyrion asked a question concerning castle matters that kept her father busy for the rest of breakfast, and Brienne mentally raised thanks to the youngest Lannister for his quick wit and help.

She was sure that Selwyn hadn't been fooled for a simple second nonetheless, but he seemed to have decided to let things be for the time being, and Brienne was eager to make the most of the truce.