In Harrenhal, the largest castle in the Seven Kingdoms, is the seat of House Whent in the riverlands, on the north shore of the Gods Eye. Since the burning of Harrenhal by dragonfire in Aegon's Conquest, however, the castle has become a dark and ruinous place. A man shouts "Riders coming through!" The gates open to a courtyard and Locke's men ride in. I look at Jaime, who sits withered astride his mount.
Men shout "The Kingslayer."
One of Locke's men forces Brienne, me, and Jaime to kneel in the courtyard "Down!"
"On your knees. Lord Bolton, I give you the Kingslayer." Locke pushes Jaime down with his foot.
Jaime falls on his face without resistance and groans.
I check Jaime "Jaime!"
Roose Bolton says "Pick him up, Locke." Locke picks up Jaime with the help of one of his men "You've lost a hand"
"No, my lord, he has it here." Locke taunts Jaime with the dismembered hand tied around his neck.
Roose pulls the hand from around Jaime's neck and hands it to Locke "Take this away." he came to me "Lady Lyanna" Roose gives me his hand. I look at him and he cuts me free and nods gives me his hand again and I take it and he helps me to stand.
Locke asks "Send it to his father?"
"You'll hold your tongue unless you want to lose it." checking my face "What did you do to her?"
Locke looks down.
I groan "I am fine, check on Lady Brienne"
Roose looks at Brienne and orders his men "Cut her free. Apologies, my lady. You're under my protection now."
Brienne is cut free "Thank you, my lord."
Roose says "Find suitable rooms for our guests. We'll speak later." he starts to walk away.
I head to Jaime holding his arm
Jaime says "Lord Bolton." Roose turns around "Is there word from the capital?"
Roose says "You haven't heard? Stannis Baratheon laid siege to King's Landing. Sailed into Blackwater Bay. Stormed the gates with thousands of men. And your sister How can I put this? Your sister is alive and well. Your father's forces prevailed."
Jaime falls to his knees in relief.
I sit next to him "Jaime" checking his head "You have a fever" I look at Roose.
Roose says "Ser Jaime isn't well. Take him to Qyburn."
I and Roose men pick Jaime up and they lead us away with Brienne.
》》》》《《《《
In Qyburn's workspace, I wash my face and sit next to Jaime. Qyburn tends to Jaime's arm, and Jaime winces and groans. His severed wrist is wet and disgusting. I rub Jaime's back "Is he going to be okay?"
Jaime asks "Will I die?"
"No. The corruption has spread. I fear it must be cut away. The safest course would be to take the whole arm off."
"Then you'll die. You're no maester. Where's your chain?"
"The Citadel stripped me of it. They found some of my experiments too bold. I can leave your upper arm, make the cut at your elbow."
Jaime chokes Qyburn to make his point "I don't need my right hand to kill you."
I hold Jaime's arm and try to stop him "Can we just hear his idea" looking at Qyburn "Any idea without cutting it?"
Jaime nods and relents his hand away.
Qyburn says "I can take away the rotting flesh and try and burn out the corruption - with boiling wine."
Jaime thinks "Mmm."
I wonder "Is it going to work" he nods "But going to hurt also, it will burn the flesh"
Qyburn nods "With any luck, that will suffice. You'll need milk of the poppy."
I shrug my arms looking at Jaime "You can take the risk"
Jaime says "No milk of the poppy."
Qyburn says "There will be pain."
I say "Jaime you have to take it"
Jaime says "I'll scream."
Qyburn says "Quite a bit of pain."
I say "Jaime, listen__"
Jaime snaps at me "I'll scream loudly!!"
Qyburn looks at me.
I nod and sit and hold Jaime's hand "I will hold your hand then"
Qyburn straps and buckles Jaime's arm to staunch the bleeding. Jaime suffers and screams and squeezes my hand hard as Qyburn snips away the corruption.
》》》》《《《《
Qyburn wraps Jaime's hand and looks at me "My lady you need to stitch your wounds"
"No, I'm fine" sigh "I just need__"
Jaime nods looking at me "Give her moon tea"
"Wait, I will get it to you" Qyburn leaves the room.
"I couldn't protect you"
"You protected me okay, don't get hard on yourself"
"I can not look at you, Lyanna"
"Jaime! I__" I shake my head.
"When I look at you I just remember your screams and__"
"They forced you to watch and we fought as I could"
"It was a mistake to take you with me"
"Can we just forget what happened these past weeks, I don't want to remember, A new beginning in our lives like never happened"
Jaime looks at me "I failed you"
I shake my head "No" I lean on his shoulder "We will arrive at King's landing soon and everything will be good" I hold his hand "We will revenge, hunt them down"
Jaime nods.
Qyburn comes with a cup "Moon tea, my lady"
》》》》《《《《
Narrator POV
In Riverrun, Bernia sitting reading a book as Talisa approaches her and sits next to her smiling. Bernia asks "Why are smiling like a child who gets a new toy?"
Talisa smiles "I am with a child"
Bernia's heart drops and smiles "Oh Congratulations, that's great, you told Robb"
Talisa shakes his head "No, I want to tell my friend first"
"I hope he will be a healthy child" she holds her hand "Congratulations again"
"I need to ask you something" Bernia nods "Can you be his godmother, I know you will be back north with us and its war, if anything happens to me, I have no family"
"Nothing will happen to you and you will raise your child and I am glad to be his godmother"
They hear a noise and head outside.
》》》》《《《《
Outside, Willem and Martyn Lannister lie dead on a blanket. Talisa kneels beside them and Robb and Bernia stand beside her. Bryden "Blackfish" Tully stands opposite, while Lady Catelyn Stark sits behind them. Bernia with glassy eyes trying not to cry.
Robb says "Bring them in" Brynden opens the door. Rickard Karstark and his men walk in. Their hands are bound "Is that all of them? It took five of you to murder two unarmed squires?"
Rickard says "Not murder, Your Grace. Vengeance."
"Vengeance? Those boys didn't kill your sons. I saw Harrion die on the battlefield and Torrhen__"
"Was strangled by the Kingslayer. They were his kin."
Bernia shouts "They were boys!"
Robb sighs "Look at them."
Rickard says "Tell your mother to look at them. She killed them as much as I."
"My mother had nothing to do with this. This was your treason."
"It's treason to free your enemies. In war, you kill your enemies. Did your father not teach you that, boy?"
Brynden punches Rickard.
Robb says "Leave him."
Rickard says "Aye. Leave me to the king. He wants to give me a scolding before he sets me free. That's how he deals with treason. Our King in the North. Or should I call him the King Who Lost the North?"
"Escort Lord Karstark to the dungeon. Hang the rest."
"Mercy, sire! I didn't kill anyone. I only watched for the guards."
Robb says "This one was only the watcher. Hang him last so he can watch the others die."
"Please! Please, no. They made me do it! They made me! They made me!"
Brynden takes out Rickard and men. Robb sits at his table.
Talisa, Bernia, and Edmure Tully approach. Bernia says "Word of this can't leave Riverrun. They were Tywin Lannister's nephews."
Edmure nods "The Lannisters pay their debts. They never stop talking about it."
Robb says "Would you make me a liar as well as a murderer?"
"It wouldn't be lying. We will bury them and remain silent until the war is done."
Bernia says "They will kill all of us for these children"
Robb says "I'm not fighting for justice if I don't serve justice to murderers in my ranks, no matter how highborn. He has to die."
Catelyn stands and approaches and says "The Karstarks are Northmen. They won't forgive the killing of their lord."
Talisa nods "Your mother's right. If you do this, the Karstarks will abandon you."
Robb says "You tended to their wounds. You brought them supper. Now they're dead."
Bernia says "And more boys will keep dying until this war is over. You need Karstark men to end it."
Catelyn says "Spare his life. Keep him as a hostage."
Edmure says "A hostage. Tell the Karstarks that as long as they remain loyal, he will not be harmed."
Robb considers.
》》》》《《《《
Lyanna POV
In Harrenhall's bathing chamber, Brienne sits in a large bath pool in an ornate bathing room, scrubbing the layers of filth from her arms with a bristle brush. I say "Not so hard."
Jaime nods "You'll scrub the skin off." Jaime and I enter with a squire.
Brienne is surprised.
I look at the squire "You can go"
Brienne asks "What are you doing here?"
Jaime says "We need a bath."
I take a deep breath as I take off the jacket and shirt.
Jaime looks at my stomach wound "Lyanna!"
I snap "I'm fine"
"Help me out of these rags."
I help Jaime undress. I see Jaime's stubbed wrist, wrap cleanly and tightly. I remove my trousers. Jaime removes his trousers and Brienne looks away in modesty.
We move to enter the tub with Brienne. Brienne moves to the far corner of the tub. Jaime walks to join her. He steps into the water "Don't worry" he leans his head "I'm not interested" he looks at me "If I faint, pull me out. I don't intend to be the first Lannister to die in a bathtub."
I say "You will not die"
Brienne asks "Why should I care how you die?"
Jaime says "You swore a solemn vow, remember? You're supposed to get us to King's Landing in one piece. Not going so well, is it? No wonder Renly died with you guarding him" Brienne stands bold and naked, challenging Jaime to continue. He is shamed, and I look away "That was unworthy. Forgive me. You protected me better than most__"
"Don't you mock me."
I sigh and pull myself down the bathtub "He didn't, you acting like children"
Jaime says "I'm apologizing. I'm sick of fighting. Let's call a truce."
Brienne says "You need trust to have a truce."
"I trust you, you tried to save my wife when I couldn't save her" I look away, Brienne sits, appeased, but fuming "There it is. There's the look. I've seen it for seventeen years on face after face. You all despise me. Kingslayer. Oathbreaker. A man without honor. you know"
I say "You are not"
"The Mad King was obsessed with wildfyre. He loved to watch people burn, the way their skin blackened and blistered and melted off their bones. He burned lords he didn't like. He burned Hands who disobeyed him. He burned anyone who was against him. Before long, half the country was against him. Aerys saw traitors everywhere. So he had his pyromancer place caches of wildfire all over the city- beneath the Sept of Baelor and the slums of Flea Bottom. Under houses, stables, taverns. Even beneath the Red Keep itself. Finally, the day of reckoning came. Robert Baratheon marched on the capital after his victory at the Trident. But my father arrived first with the whole Lannister army at his back, promising to defend the city against the rebels. I knew my father better than that. He's never been one to pick the losing side. I told the Mad King as much. I urged him to surrender peacefully. But the king didn't listen to me. He didn't listen to Varys who tried to warn him. But he did listen to Grand Maester Pycelle, that grey, sunken cunt. 'You can trust the Lannisters,' he said. 'The Lannisters have always been true friends of the crown.' So we opened the gates and my father sacked the city. Once again, I came to the king, begging him to surrender. He told me to bring him my father's head. Then he turned to his pyromancer. 'Burn them all,' he said. 'Burn them in their homes. Burn them in their beds.' Tell me, if your precious Renly commanded you to kill your own father and stand by while thousands of men, women, and children burned alive, would you have done it? Would you have kept your oath then?"
Brienne stares, wide-eyed, and doesn't answer.
"First, I killed the pyromancer. And then when the king turned to flee, I drove my sword into his back. 'Burn them all,' he kept saying. 'Burn them all.' I don't think he expected to die. He- he meant to burn with the rest of us and rise again, reborn as a dragon to turn his enemies to ash. I slit his throat to make sure that didn't happen. That's where Ned Stark found me."
Brienne says "If this is true why didn't you tell anyone? Why didn't you tell Lord Stark?"
Jaime is exhausted after his speech and breathes heavily "Stark? You think the honorable Ned Stark wanted to hear my side? He judged me guilty the moment he set eyes on me."
I wonder "Jaime you okay"
"By what right does the wolf judge the lion? By what right?" Jaime tries to stand but collapses into my arms.
"Help!!"
Brienne says "Help! Help! The Kingslayer!"
"Jaime. My name is Jaime."
I nod "Your name is Jaime, okay"
》》》》《《《《
In the middle of the night, In the chamber, Jaime is sleeping and I lay next to him, leaning on my hand watching him sobbing without voice. Jaime moves and opens his eyes "Hey" He put his hand on my cheek "Are you crying?"
I smile "No, I was just worried about you"
"Great" I kiss his mouth "I really need something"
Jaime smiles "I know" he wraps his arm around me and I sleep on his chest hearing his heartbeat "Here"
I smile "I can stay like that forever"
Jaime kisses my forehead "Me too"
I close my eyes as We fall asleep for the first time not scared, not terrified, in a safe place in a clean place. Harrenhal may be a very scary and cursed place after the tragedy of House Strong and the Targaryen civil war but It was my safe place today.