The Old Gods and New

Loss of Limb

Kenith held onto both of Jessica's shoulders as he lead her back to Jaime, Brienne and Navi. Only problem was, Navi wasn't there.

"Easy, Your Grace." Kenith shushed her. "I've got a hold of you."

Jessica had tried to compose herself, but she couldn't stop shaking. Kenith eased her down, apologizing the entire time as she was secured back to the tree.

Kneith knelt down in front of her. He grabbed his handkerchief from his pocket. He gently wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, gave a nod to her, then let them be.

Jessica finally look over at Brienne. She could barely look Jessica in the eye. Tears had pricked her own. "I have failed you, Your Grace. You protected me when it should've been the other way around."

Jessica shook her head. She opened her mouth to speak but no words could find their way to the surface. When she was able to speak, the only question was. "Where's Navi?"

Right on cue, Jessica heard the wide array of Dothraki slurs screaming from across the camp. Navi was thrown back down and chained next to Jessica. Navi was blood covered, but Jessica wasn't entirely sure it was her own.

Jessica and Navi looked at each other. And Jessica slipped into Dothraki. "Did they -"

Navi grinned and squeezed her hand. "Yes, but don't worry Khaleesi, I made them work for what they wanted. And two of them are dead. They won't come after you."

Jessica nodded. She had yet to acknowledged Jaime. She could feel his whole body shaking. She took a breath and dared to look up at him.

Jaime had his head resting against the tree. His eyes were closed and he was breathing deeply. Jessica wriggle against the chains until she was pressed up right against him, her head fell onto his shoulder.

He immediately leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "Next one to touch you, dies."

Jessica looked up at him, meeting his emerald eyes. "I'm -"

"No you're not." Jaime cut her off, whispering so that only she could hear. "I should have let events unfold. You would've been here, under my protection."

Jessica sighed and nuzzled against him. "You would have only delayed the inevitable."

Lock came whistling down to the four of them. He looked to Jaime. "Your father, he'd pay your weight in gold to get you back?"

"To get both me and my wife back." Jaime answered as evenly as he could. "You'll be a rich man till the end of your days. And your sons will be rich men and their sons after them. Lands, titles- you'll have them all. The North can't win this war. You're a smart man. You understand that. We have the numbers. We have the gold."

Locke nodded. "Aye, you have both."

Jaime managed a grin. "Fighting bravely for a losing cause is admirable. Fighting for a winning cause is far more rewarding."

Locke seemed to maul this over. "Hard to argue with that."

Jaime grinned wider. "Now that we're speaking together man to man, I wonder if you need to keep me chained to this tree. I'm not asking to be freed from my constraints, but if I could sleep lying down, my back would thank you for it. I'm not as young and resilient as I was once."

Locke chuckled. "None of us are. Unchain Ser Jaime from the tree."

The men unlocked Jaime and he rubbed his wrist. Jessica rested her chin on his shoulders trying to get a better read on him.

Locke huffed. "Suppose you'll be wanting something to eat."

"I'm famished, actually." Jaime chuckled.

"I think we've got a spare partridge on the fire."

"Well I do like partridge."

Locke extended a hand and helped Jaime up. He groaned from his soreness. And the pair of them walked toward the fire. Jessica and Brienne shared a look.

Locke shouted to his men as he and Jaime settled near a long stump. "Bring the bird over here and the carving knife. Will this work as a table, my lord?"

"Oh yes. Yes, this will do -" Jaime immediately dropped the smile as rage filled the air.

Jaime threw the first punch in Locke's jaw and he went tumbling back. But before Locke could gain any momentum, another punch came.

Jaime had tackled Locke to the ground while he landed a flurry of blows. "That. Is. For. My. Wife."

It took three men to pry Jaime off Locke, who sat up and spit out blood. "On the stump!"

One of the men forced Jaime's right hand onto the stump while two other men held him down. Locke came over and grabbed Jaime's face while he drew a large carving knife, placing the point at Jaime's eye.

"You think you're the smartest man there is. That everyone alive has to bow and scrape and lick your boots."

Jaime struggled. "My father -"

Locke chuckled. "And if you get into any trouble, all you have to do is say 'my father' and that's it. All your troubles are gone."

"Don't."

The laughter grew. "Have you got something to say?"

Jaime held his tongue.

"Careful. You don't want to say the wrong thing. You're nothing without your daddy, and your daddy ain't here. And as for your wife, I plan to have here from here, all the way to Harrenhal. Never forget that."

Locke stood up, releasing Jaime's face and withdrawing the knife.

"Here, this should help you remember."

Locke wound up and cleaved the knife through Jaime's wrist, severing it with a single blow.

"JAIME!" Jessica let out a scream, kicking and writing against the chains in any attempt to reach him.

Jaime stared at his hand in disbelief before he began screaming in agony.