Keeper

A Kingslayer, His Keeper, and The Lady of Tarth

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"I don't know which side you're truly loyal to, Lady Mormont, but you know how you attempt to hide how you care behind a cold gaze and venomous words. I see right through you. I see your heart for a Lannister, and I pity the fool who gives their hearts away to that type of a man."

"There are no other men like him, Lady Brienne."

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Rhaella broke her fast by praying to the Gods in thanks of Catelyn Stark for allowing her and Brienne to escort Jaime back to the Capital. It had been rather easy to navigate the darkness for the first few hours of their trip, and then he'd gotten a better look at Brienne and decided to goad her on well into the late hours of the morning. Neither women were foolish. They knew they didn't have the time to waste by paying any attention to his charade and instead needed to focus on not getting caught by the King in the North.

"Oof." Brienne slapped the backside of their other horse and urged them both deeper into their forest, hoping to draw the attention away from their escape and to the horses they'd find instead. Jaime sat upright on the forest floor and squinted as the bag was removed from his head and Rhaella saw him clearly for the first time in over a year. "You're much uglier in daylight."

He winced as she thread her fingers through his hair and gripped it tightly to haul him to his feet. "I'm gonna be the.. what do you call it," She mused. "Bad Cop to the Ladys Good Cop. Which means if you annoy me enough I will take this dagger and cut your balls off with it." Brienne wrenched him from her grasps and motioned to Blackfyre that had not moved from her waist, urging her to unsheathe it. "Don't test me."

Jaime wasn't deterred.

"What's your name?" He asked. "I'm Jaime Lannister of Casterly Rock, son of Tywin. This is Ella Mormont of Bear Island. We're very good friends." His eyes caught hers and reflected the rays of the sun - gold flickering amongst emeralds - before he turned his attention back to Brienne. "She acts like she hates me most of the time, but I happen to know better. She is as loyal as they come."

"I am no more loyal to you Lannisters as you are to your oaths, Kingslayer."

"A captive knight has the right to know his captors identity."

Rhaella played with the bear pendant she'd torn off her cloak when dawn had broken. It had become somewhat of a habit over the days since she'd left the Capital. Brienne had little to share in lieu of conversation, which was welcome, but she couldn't help but wonder if the straw-haired knight saw right through her facade. It had taken a number of years for her to learn to perfect it in front of the Lannisters, but Brienne was a stranger. There was no telling what she knew.

"Brienne of Tarth."

Jaime clucked his tongue as she shoved him along down the dirt path. "Tarth... Cresent moons and starbursts. Lord Selwyn Tarth, he's your father. Do you have any brothers and sisters, my Lady? It's a long way to King's Landing. We should get to know one another. Have you known many men? I suppose not. Ella hasn't either. How about women? Horses-"

He grunted as Rhaella kicked him rather hard in the back of his knee and sent him tumbling into the bank just by the river. "I'm rather glad you left your boat here, Lady Ella." Brienne murmured her thanks. "It will be a convenience for getting us down the river." The slightest upturn of her lips was enough of a reply for the other woman, and so Rhaella set to tucking their belongings in each end of the boat while the middle left open space for the three of them. "Your crime are past forgiveness, Kingslayer."