A Sapphire in the Snow

Chapter 12

Tormund took her hand and held it gently. "You need to heal." He kissed her fingers and held onto her tighter.

"I can't help it." She rolled her eyes lovingly at him. "Inactivity is not in my nature." She shrugged her shoulders and looked so miserably at him that he could not help but chuckle at the frustrated expression on her face, which he found irresistibly adorable. Brienne swatted Tormund's arm playfully. "It's not funny." She scowled.

"I know." He conceded, wrapping his arms gently around her. "It will only be a little while longer. I promise." He told her.

Brienne glared at him, shocked. Then she squinted at him in suspiciousion. "What are you planning?" She wondered.

"A surprise." He kissed her temple, and tried to force the smile off his face at the thought of sailing to Tarth with her.

"Tell me." Brienne begged.

Tormund shook his head vehemently. "No." He declared. "You, my lovely knight, will just have to wait." He held her as tight as he dared. How good it felt to have her in his arms again. It was only a few days before that he feared he might never hold her again. His entire world had been restored to him. He would hold onto her forever.

As Tormund embraced Brienne he felt her shiver in his arms, her chest rising and falling forcefully. Pulling back from her he studied her face worriedly. She was crying. "Did I hurt you?" Tormund pleaded.

Brienne smiled at him through her tears. "No." She stared at him as though she were trying to memorize him. "You didn't hurt me." She whispered.

He brought his fingers to her face and stroked her cheek, trying to ease her. "What is it?" He asked, worried.

Brienne looked down and shook her head as if trying to force an image from her mind. She breathed as deeply as she was able with her injured ribs caging her lungs. "When I looked at you just now, I remembered something." She explained. "When that Essosi soldier ran his spear into me..." She paused with a shutter. Tormund pulled her closer. "When he stabbed me, I looked through the battle and saw you there." She brought her eyes to his, large tears sliding down her cheeks. "All I could think of was that I was so glad you were unharmed." She clutched his hands. "I just realized how close I came..." she halted, not wanting to voice her fears.

Tormund put his finger to Brienne's lips, stopping her from finishing. "I know." He nodded. Now that she was safe, he could barely stand to acknowledge the battle that might have led to so much worse. "You're alright now. You're going to heal, and be even stronger." He willed her.

She stared even deeper into his eyes, and shook her head. "That's not what I meant." She brought her face closer to him. "I realized how close I came to losing you." Her pained eyes showed the terror she found in that thought.

He was astounded by her. She had come so close to death, and yet it was his safety that concerned her the most. He closed his eyes and rested his head against hers. "I swear. You will never lose me." He vowed to her as their lips met.
——————————————
Brienne drifted quietly back from her dreams. In her mind, she and Tormund had returned to the North, and were living their happy life together in their little skin house. So lost she had been in her sweet imaginings that she had slept soundly for hours. Jon had returned quickly, the same day he had offered to book passage for Brienne and Tormund on a ship heading south. The last thing Brienne remembered was Tormund lifting her from the cot in which she had fought for her life. She had fallen asleep in his arms before they left the ward. He had set her on a horse, climbed up behind her, and engulfed her in his arms. She had hardly budged, her body still consumed with the business of healing her wounds. Tormund had not given her a hint as to where they were going or how they were getting there.