Chapter 6 ~ The Climb ~

After changing to a clean dress and helping Jaime with his own clothing we left the room and met Brienne at the stairs with a Bolton solider, I looked at the dress she was wearing and I raised an eyebrow. 

 

“I feel as if I should ask where they found that hideous gown but I'm terrified for the answer," Brienne looked uncomfortable in the bright pink gown looked so tight on her broad shoulders, she turned to follow the waiting Bolton man into a room that had been set for dinner, Roose Bolton stood behind a chair and gestured for us to sit down, Jaime sat between Brienne and i and more Bolton men served us meat. 

 

I cut into my food and began to eat, relishing in the flavour of the salted meats on the plate, we hadn’t eaten something like this for months and I missed it so much, I watched from the corner of my eye as Jaime struggled with his meat, “I see my men have finally found you something appropriate to wear,” Roose said to Brienne who shifted uncomfortably. 

 

“Yes, most kind of them” she replied as I stabbed the meat Jaime was struggling with and helped him cut it up into smaller pieces, I knew this was Roose playing with Jaime and his new weakness, Bolton was a callous man who liked to exploit peoples weakness, “You're a Stark bannerman, Lord Bolton, I am acting on Lady Stark's orders to return Jaime and Anaris Lannister to King's Landing” Bolton shook his head as I took another bite of meat and glanced up to meet Roose’s eyes. 

 

“When King Robb left Harrenhal, his mother was his prisoner,” Roose told us, my back straightened, Robb took mother prisoner, what was he playing at “If she wasn't his mother, he'd have hanged her for treason” I slammed my fork down and stood up. 

 

“If you’ll excuse me, I’m no longer hungry” I left my plate and walked away from the table and stalked back to my room, if I came across any of the men who brought us here I’d kill them, I’d hunt down and smack Robb after, I knew why he had to do it, why he had to take mother prisoner but there was always another way around doing things, I opened the chamber door and stopped when I found Storm laying down on the rumpled sheets of the bed, she was quietly breathing with her eyes closed but I knew she wasn’t asleep. 

 

~~

 

When Jaime made his way back into the room he found me sprawled out on the bed with Storm’s large head on my belly, I was absently running my fingers through her rough fur “ did you have an interesting dinner with my families bannerman?” I asked him as he sat down on the bed next to my head. 

 

“We’re leaving tomorrow with Qyburn, Brienne is now a prisoner of your brother, Bolton has assured us safe passage by giving us guards” I felt his finger on my forehead “you’re thinking too hard, your brow is so furrowed” he stroked the skin between my eyebrows and I opened my eyes to watch him “Bolton rides to the Riverlands tomorrow, Brienne will be left in Locke’s hands”

 

I scoffed “in other words she’s going to be brutally murdered by his slimy hands” Jaime laughed and nodded “we owe her Jaime, we can’t let Locke hurt her” Jaime nodded in understanding but didn’t say anything else. 

 

~~

 

I jumped into the saddle of my borrowed horse and looked to Bolton who stood close to Jaime, they spoke lowly but I couldn’t hear what they were talking about “Bolton” I called making him jerk his head in my direction and bow “tell you dog to keep his paws off of Lady Brienne, or there will be hell to pay” Bolton chuckled as I tucked the small house of Tarth sigil into the small bag near my leg, Brienne had given to me before we left our chambers, she wanted me to send it to her father so he would know that she was dead, I almost refused but she was adamant that I needed to let him know. 

 

“Locke will do his best M’lady but you know how men are” he replied causing me to scoff. 

 

“I know what to do to men and animals who turn to bloodthirsty” I snapped back, he genuinely laughed at me making my back tense. 

 

“I’m sure you do” he nodded to Jaime and I one last time before getting onto his own horse and leaving us to his men. 

 

“Safe journey, Kingslayer” Locke called from the sidelines as we started to leave, Jaime ignored him and brought his horse next to mine, sandwiching me between him and Storm, “Nothing to say?” Locke continued to talk “I liked you better before, I don't remember chopping your balls off too,  though your bitch probably did that” we continued to ignore him but Jaime did put his stump on my clenched hand that sat on my saddle “And don't you worry about your friend, we’ll take good care of her” he laughed at the end and I’d had enough. 

 

“Storm, hunt” I commanded making a gesture to Locke, immediately Storm turned and pounced on the man, I didn’t look back as I heard him scream out in pain, when Storm returned to my side her jaws were bloody and I could hear Locke yelling for someone to help him “good girl” I leant down and rubbed her head making Jaime laugh. 

 

~~

 

We didn’t get very far when Qyburn stopped to check Jaime’s arm, I’d come back to the group after finding somewhere private to go to the toilet I came to a stop next to Jaime and Qyburn as he wrapped the wound back up they two conversed quietly. 

 

“What is?” Jaime asked the quiet older man, I gave Storm a rub between her ears as I stooped next to Jaime. 

 

“Curiosity, The only way to treat disease is to understand disease, And the only way to understand it is to study the afflicted,” Qyburn answered Jaime and I glanced between the two men. 

 

“You performed experiments on living men” Jaime stated and Qyburn shook his head. 

 

“On dying men,” Qyburn said, he sounded slightly regretful but I could understand why he did what he did, he wanted to learn how to make people better. 

 

“With their permission?” I asked and Qyburn ducked his head down in shame again. 

 

“My studies have given me insight that has saved many lives” he said and I nodded thoughtfully as Jaime turned to me. 

 

“Dying paupers, I assume, Men with no families to complain” I nodded, I can’t imagine people from higher houses being alright with being experimented on “You found them moaning in the poorhouse and had them carted back to your garret and opened up their bellies to see what was inside”

 

“How many men have you killed, my lord?” He looked to Jaime and then to me “or you, my lady?”

 

“I don't know” I told him with a shrug, I didn’t kill for fun or pleasure, I killed to save myself or those I loved. 

 

“Fifty? A hundred?” Qyburn continued and Jaime shook his head “countless” Qyburn supplied and I glanced at Jaime with a small smile. 

 

“Countless has a nice ring to it” i stated and Jaime smiled back at me. 

 

“And how many lives have you saved?” Qyburn asked us but Jaime was the only one who answered because I didn’t have a clue, not many I would think. 

 

“Half a million. The population of King's Landing,” Jaime told him, before Qyburn could ask anything else I spoke up. 

 

“You were in charge of the ravens at Harrenhal. Did you- did you get a bird off to Brienne's father in Tarth?” I asked Qyburn who nodded. 

 

“A bird flew off and a bird flew back,” Qyburn responded “Lord Selwyn Tarth offered three hundred gold dragons for his daughter's safe return,” 

 

“A fair offer” Jaime told me and I nodded, who stood and Qyburn packed his medicines up in his bag and stood as well.

 

“A fair offer. Locke won't take it” 

 

“Why not?” I asked cocking my head to the side. 

 

“He's convinced Lord Tarth owns all the sapphire mines in Westeros” I looked to Jaime with narrowed eyes, he told me the lie he told Locke the night he lost his hand, he’d convinced the idiot that Tarth was full of sapphires and not just known for its blue water, “he feels he's being cheated” 

 

“They'd be fools to kill her” Jaime said with a shake of his head. 

 

“These men have been at war a long time. Most of them will be dead by winter” I told him, it was a hard truth but truth all the same, winter didn’t care who is highborn or lowborn, it was ruthless. 

 

“She'll be their entertainment tonight. Beyond tonight, I don't think they care very much” Qyburn told Jaime who’s eyebrow furrowed deeply and we eyed one another, I’d made up my mind, Brienne was going to be rescued. 

 

“We have to return to Harrenhal” I stated to the man named Steelshanks, who was near by drinking deeply from a wine skin, he looked up slowly and raised his eyebrow. 

 

“Why?” He’s asked boredly, making my teeth grind together in irritation. 

 

“I've left something behind,” Jaime told him and Steelshanks laughed. 

 

“Absolutely not, I've got orders from Lord Bolton” he stated as he stood but Jaime and I didn’t back down. 

 

“And what are those orders?” I demanded, Steelshanks rolled his eyes in annoyance, my hand was on my sword, maybe I’d stab him. 

 

“To deliver you to Tywin Lannister at Kings Landing” he replied. 

 

“You think you'll get a reward” Jaime said with a scoff. 

 

“I serve Lord Bolton. Any appreciation your father-“ it was my turn to scoff, Bolton had some really streets bastards as his bannermen and I was tired of them. 

 

“You think you're getting a reward” I said my hand tightened in the hilt of my sword. 

 

“Let me explain something to you,” Jaime stepped forward “When my father sees me, the first thing he's going to ask is what happened to my hand. And I'm going to tell him this man chopped it off” Steelshanks bristled at Jaime’s words and he shook his head. 

 

“I had nothing-“ Steelshanks went to speak but I drew my sword and pressed it against his throat, the smith at Harrenhal while not as good as Micken, back in Winterfell, had sharpened the blade so when I pressed it to the skin of his throat he began to bleed. 

 

“Or I could tell him this man saved our lives,” I pressed the sword closer to his throat, he made a noise and barely nodded “We return to Harrenhal now” i gritted my teeth because sheathing my sword once more and mounting my horse.