They didn't stop often while they were on the road. It was much too dangerous to risk that, however, there were times during the night where they had no choice. During one of their rare stops, they took reprieve at an inn. While most of the time they road in the caravan, it was still tiring to be in a wooden box for so long.
With their change in clothes and their red hair covered in black pigment, it was doubtful many would recognize them unless they knew them and their faces. Having some proper food would do wonders to boost their moods, as the food they had while tasting fine, was no match for a warm stew.
The chance to stretch her legs was also nice, though her back thanked her for the break and the movement. Perhaps during one of their nightly stops, Anari would take a moment to do one of her drills. Her body was stiffening up a bit, and she didn't want that to happen.
Upon entering the inn, Anari saw that a section had been cleared out and guards were posted so that they would be undisturbed. The last time Anari had been to an inn was during her travels on the King's Road. It felt like a lifetime ago, being with her father and sisters. Had Anari known what she did now, she would have pleaded with her father to take them and turn them around the night of the trial.
It was a precursor for worse to come, all of them should have seen those signs then. Now, though, it was much too late. Her father was gone, her sister was missing or dead, and the rest of her family was betrayed and murdered. Anari only had Sansa, and the babe she carried within.
Covertly pressing her hand over her abdomen, Anari began walking to where they were to be seated, whereupon Lord Baelish instructed the girls to sit on the side that shielded them from view.
Sansa sat closest to the window while Anari sat on the end. Should anything go wrong, Anari wanted to be able to move quickly. The seats of the caravan, while cushioned, were not very comfortable for long, so the brief change to move her legs was refreshing. Perhaps, Anari would find a way to convince Lord Baelish to take a walk. She wouldn't mind having guards with her as she did so as a precaution, so perhaps he would be willing to allow them to remain for a little longer in order for her to do so. Ordering some warm stew and some bread from one of the servers, Anari allowed herself to relax a little.
She had been very tense during the entire trip, and while she was still on her guard, Anari knew she needed to relax a bit. As much as she wanted to plan ahead and do many different things, she knew the best thing for her own wellbeing was to settle down a bit.
Once the food arrived, Anari wasted no time in digging into her meal. While she still kept the decorum of a lady, she still very much enjoyed her food. The warm stew was exactly what she had needed, and the crisp bread soothed her. As for her drink, Anari stuck with water. Sansa was almost as hungry as her sister, as she focused more on her meal than anything else.
Lord Baelish watched the girls with a small smirk. He knew that the journey was taking a lot out of them, they weren't used to such travels, after all. Their table was silent as everyone ate and enjoyed their meal. However, as she finished the last few bits of her stew, Anari's mind went back to what she had seen when they left Lord Royce's Keep.
"You were given a scroll," Anari said after she took a sip of her water. Lord Baelish glanced at her, a curious glint in his eyes. "Before we left Lord Royce's Keep, a squire handed you a raven scroll." She clarified.
A small smirk came to his lips as he nodded faintly. "You're becoming quite an observant young lady," He praised.
Anari had always been observant; she just knew when to hide her curiosities and when to voice them. "Our mother used to say 'dark wings, dark words'," Sansa spoke, glancing at Lord Baelish as well. She had seen the scroll being given to him; she just wasn't sure if she should have questioned it.
Sansa was still learning, but the more she watched her sister and how she handled things, the more Sansa understood what moves she could and could not make at any given moment. She wasn't as quick as Anari was when it came to understanding lessons, but she did learn. Besides, being considered an unimportant player would only serve to work to her advantage.
People would say or do things in front of her, and they wouldn't think she would notice. But she did, Sansa noticed many things. She stored all of the information away knowing it may have some use somewhere down the line. Especially now that Anari and Sansa were working more closely together, Sansa knew she had to be more observant and honest with her sister.
"An old saying," Lord Baelish acknowledged with a nod. "Though, it was inaccurate in this case."
"It was good news, then?" Anari questioned. Part of her, the wishful thinking part of her, wondered if it had something to do with Tyrion. She had heard very little about him, only that he had been arrested and had been put on trial. She had no idea if any sentence was carried out or anything.
Certainly, the news would travel fast if he was executed. Before she could think any more on the matter, however, Lord Baelish responded. "My marriage proposal has been accepted,"
Anari and Sansa both frowned in return. "I thought you were still in mourning for the death of our Aunt," Sansa replied. Lord Baelish smirked faintly in response as he saw their minds working. Anari hid her thoughts better than her sister, however, Lord Baelish was still able to read them both well enough.
Before anything more could be said, however, a serving girl made her way over with a pitcher. The guards allowed her to pass, seeing as she posed no threat. "Ale?" The girl questioned with a bright smile.
"No, thank you," Anari smiled in return. Lord Baelish shook his head in response; however, Sansa's curiosity was peaked.
"I'll have some," she said. Anari raised an eyebrow at her sister, only getting a shrug in return. With a quirk of her lips, Anari took Sansa's cup and held it out for the serving girl. She didn't want her sister to have to reach over her, so it made much more sense for her to pass along the cup instead.
As she did, though, Anari leaned over a little, allowing for her profile to be seen. Something of which was noticed by a figure sitting across the room. He had originally been looking at the serving girl, however, seeing who exactly the serving girl was with caused him to frown.
Though, seeing the woman who leaned out from the other side of the booth caused Podrick's eyes to widen with recognition. A hopeful smile came to his lips as he looked to Brienne who wasn't paying him any mind. "My Lady," he began.
"What is it?" she questioned as she took a bite of her stew. She was still in a foul mood from her failure with Arya. She hadn't even thought the girl was alive, and despite trying, she wanted nothing to do with her. All she wanted to do was serve someone worthy of her loyalty, but as she told Podrick on the road; all of the good people were dead.
"Anari and Sansa Stark," he said plainly. If Anari was there, then Podrick had no doubt Sansa was as well. Anari would never leave her sister, that much he knew. He wasn't sure if they would ever find the girls, but he was happier than he expected to be to see Anari again.
While his interactions with her were limited, he had seen the way she carried herself. He had known of her kindness, had seen it directed at Tyrion many times. So, to see her alive pleased him greatly. If only there was a way he could safely tell Tyrion that she was alive.
Upon hearing that, Brienne set her spoon down in her bowl as she wiped her mouth. Seeing as he was looking behind her, Brienne made to turn around. "Don't look," Podrick warned. It wouldn't be good if they drew too much attention to them. It was obvious that they were trying to go unnoticed.
"Are you sure?" Brienne questioned. While she was annoyed she couldn't look to confirm what he said, she knew it was for the best.
"I am," Podrick nodded. "I've been around Lady Anari long enough to know what she looks like. She's dyed her hair, though."
"Do you see Sansa with her?"
"No," Podrick shook his head. "But I know she's there because Lady Anari would never leave her sister unattended." He continued when he saw the look forming on Brienne's face. "I may not have spoken to her myself often, my Lady, but I know what she's like. She would never go anywhere without Lady Sansa at her side."
Brienne had no interactions with the girls herself, but she had heard enough stories about them and their dynamics to believe him. As he glanced back at the table however, a frown settled over his face. "They're sitting with Petyr Baelish." He stated, confusion discomfort in his tone.
Podrick didn't like Lord Baelish very much. He knew of his reputation, and he knew he was one of the best liars in King's Landing. He had no idea why the girls would be with him of all people. It was rumored long ago that it was he who betrayed Ned Stark when he was arrested. Podrick didn't understand why Anari would allow herself and Sansa to be around a man like him.
"Littlefinger?" Brienne questioned, a look of concern passing over her face. What in the seven hells were they doing with him?
"There are a bunch of knights guarding them as well," Podrick observed.
"How many is a bunch, Podrick?"
"I don't know," he replied as he tried to covertly count how many knights were standing guard. "Six I think, too many to take on." Brienne's jaw set as her mind worked quickly. She doubted they would stay at the inn for long, so that meant that her window of opportunity was small.
While she would rather do this a different way, she knew she had no choice. Standing from her seat, Brienne adjusted her sword belt so it was more firmly in place. She needed to do this now before she lost them. While she failed with Arya, she was going to try harder with Anari and Sansa.
"My Lady," Podrick began, growing worried when he saw the determined look on her face. "I don't think this is the right ti-"
"Ready the horses, Podrick," Brienne ordered. If this went wrong, she wanted to make a quick escape. There were too many knights to fight, and the inn was too small to have enough room for her to move. She would be surrounded quickly and she didn't want that.
She did not trust Lord Baelish in the slightest, so she knew she would need to be careful. "We only have one horse," Podrick argued.
"Find more," she said firmly. Even if they had to steal one, she didn't care. She wanted an escape route should she need it. Leaving him to gather their things and do as she ordered, Brienne took a breath as she walked to where the girls were.
Podrick was right when he had said there were too many knights to fight. She tried to think of how she wished to word everything she wanted to say. No doubt Lord Baelish would try to spin her words around to be used against her, so while she entertained the idea of bringing up Arya, she dismissed it. It would only be used against her if she told them of how she failed to bring their sister with her.
Openly admitting to a failure in front of a man like Lord Baelish was dangerous, as he would exploit the situation entirely. While never having truly known the man or who he was, Brienne knew that the girls needed to be safe. She highly doubted that Lord Baelish would provide that safety for long, if at all.
In the booth, Sansa swirled the ale in her cup as she took a small sniff. It didn't smell like wine, it smelled more sour than sweet. Unperturbed, however, Sansa took a drink. It tasted bitter, and the liquid burned her throat slightly, causing her to cough.
"How do you like the taste?" Lord Baelish questioned.
"I don't see what all the fuss is about," Sansa replied once she had composed herself. Glancing at Anari, she offered her sister her cup. Anari considered declining, but her curiosity got the better of her. Deciding that only one sip wouldn't hurt, Anari took the cup.
She made a small face as she swallowed the liquid. It didn't taste very good to her, though considering she was older, she had previously had a better idea of how drinks like this worked. Perhaps ale was similar to wine; it was an acquired taste, and some were better than others.
"Not what I was expecting," she said. She wasn't going to take another sip, though, so she set the cup down. Her time with Tyrion had also exposed her to different types of drinks, so she had a slightly more expanded taste range than Sansa did.
"Why do men love it so much?" Sansa asked Lord Baelish curiously.
"Sometimes it gives some men courage," he replied.
"Does it give you courage?" Anari questioned. Lord Baelish glanced at her, only instead of seeing a challenging look in her eyes; he saw a spark of mischief. He was curious as to what she was playing at but decided to humor her.
"There are other ways to find courage," he replied. "While I drink, I do not need it to have courage." A smirk tugged at his lips as he glanced at both of them. "Anyone with true courage does not need something to enhance their prowess. They draw their bravery from elsewhere, they-"
"That's far enough," one of the men guarding them said as a figure approached.
"Lord Baelish, Lady Anari, and Lady Sansa," the person greeted. "My name is Brienne of Tarth." Anari didn't move to see the face of the woman that knew their names; however, she shifted slightly as her hand went under the table to rest on the pommel of Valkyrie. She didn't know how this person knew their names, however, Anari didn't like it.
"We've met," Lord Baelish said once he looked up to see who had spoken to them. "You were with Renly Baratheon," upon hearing that, Anari's hand loosened around her sword. If this woman was with Renly, then perhaps she wasn't all bad.
While she didn't get the opportunity to befriend him further, Anari rather liked Renly. He was a good man from what she had gathered, perhaps a bit foolish in thinking he could take the throne, but he seemed to mean well. If given the time, Anari was sure she would have grown to trust the man.
"What was it he said about you?" Lord Baelish questioned. Upon hearing the shift in his tone, Anari knew that he was not trying to be kind to the woman. He was mocking her. "He said your loyalty came free, isn't that right? Well, it would seem that someone has paid quite a lot for it since then."
Despite his jab, however, Lord Baelish waved her through. If she insisted on speaking to them, then she may as well do it closer. He didn't need or want the entire tavern knowing he was seated with Anari and Sansa Stark. The less Cersei knew of his involvement with the girls, the better.
He was still attempting to play both sides, after all. When Brienne walked closer, she ignored Lord Baelish entirely as she faced the girls. She had seen them before, so she had known what they looked like. Upon seeing the woman who spoke, Anari vaguely recognized her.
If she wasn't mistaken, this was the woman who had helped bring Jaime back to King's Landing. "Lady Anari, Lady Sansa," she addressed. "Before your mother's death, I was her sworn sword," she said, her voice soft as she knelt before them. "I will shield your back and keep your counsel, giving my life for yours if need be. I swear it, by the old gods and the new."
Her blue eyes shone earnestly as she looked at them. The girls looked so much like Catelyn, and even still it broke her heart to know she could not return them to their mother. That she could not have been at that wedding to save her.
Her words caught Anari off guard, as her brows came together in mild confusion. She was her mother's sworn sword? Anari didn't remember a time where her mother needed anyone protecting her. She figured that Ser Rodrick would have been the one to look after her mother if she required a guard.
Looking into Brienne's eyes, she knew that the woman was being truthful, though. Anari had become well versed in being able to spot a liar; Brienne did not have the eyes of a liar. Though, her mind worked as she tried to figure out what it would mean to accept her as her guard.
What would change? Could she truly trust Brienne with her sister's safety? With her own? Without realizing it, Anari's hand moved from her sword to rest over her abdomen. Anari's action didn't quite go unnoticed by Brienne, as she caught the movement out of the corner of her eye. If Anari was going to do this, she may need extra help. Having an older woman to look up to, to guide her could be good.
However, she knew nothing about Brienne. While it very well may be true that she was her mother's shield, she was also the same woman who brought Jaime back. While on better terms with Jaime, Anari had too much left unknown to know if taking her as her guard would be a worthy risk.
Anari glanced at Sansa to gauge her reaction but saw that her sister's face was drawn into an impassive expression as her eyes glared at Brienne. She didn't understand, what did Sansa know about this woman that she didn't? Turning to face Brienne again, she noticed that the woman was looking to where her hand rested over her abdomen.
Her eyes flashing for a brief moment that went unseen, Anari removed her hand. Brienne's eyes flickered to meet Anari's gaze, one to find her grey eyes held a bit more ice in them than before. Swallowing, Brienne gave the faintest of nods. The exchange was wordless, and while Sansa missed the interaction, Lord Baelish did not.
He found it odd that the two had been able to have such an interaction without words. "Lady Brienne," he said to get her attention. She glanced at him and he offered a deadly smile. "There is no need for such formality," he chuckled without humor. "You say you were Catelyn Stark's sworn shield?"
"I was," Brienne nodded glancing at the girls. She hoped they would believe her, with them being so close to a man like Lord Baelish, she worried about their safety. He was not a good man for them to be around. She had heard of how cunning and manipulative he could be.
She knew she would need to be careful traded words with a man like him. "Strange, I've known Cat from the time we were children; she had never made any mention of you." He knew that Brienne was an honorable woman, and he knew she took her vows very seriously. He wasn't sure what the woman would tell the girls, and he didn't like the small connection she had with Anari.
"I became her sworn shield after Renly's murder," Brienne replied, her eyes narrowing.
"Ah, yes," he hummed. "I've heard that you were amongst the accused for that."
"I tried to save him," Brienne replied with more bite than she had originally meant to have. "I never would have killed him."
"And yet you were accused anyway," Lord Baelish replied. "Strange, isn't it? How such an honorable woman such as yourself would be accused of such things."
Anari's eyes narrowed as she began reading between the lines of their conversation. Also, she found it ironic that he used that as a point against her. Anari and Sansa were accused of killing Joffrey, and they were noble women from a noble house.
"I was accused by men who didn't see what happened," Brienne said, her tone guarded. She didn't like where he was steering this conversation, how he was trying to trap her in something.
"Then what did happen?"
Taking a breath, instead of looking at him, she looked to the girls. She knew he wouldn't believe her, but she hoped that they would. "He was murdered by a shadow," she said, her tone even and firm. "A shadow with the face of Stannis Baratheon."
"A shadow?" Lord Baelish questioned disbelief and humor in his voice. Anari's brows came together, though she was curious as to what Brienne meant. A shadow? Anari had been taught that there were all sorts of magics in the world, though Maester Luwin and Septa Mordane had both disbelieved the claims.
Brienne could see that Sansa and Lord Baelish weren't swayed by what she had said, though she saw the look of consideration briefly flash over Anari's face. Perhaps, if given the chance to speak to the girls without Lord Baelish's interference, she would be able to be more truthful and open with them.
From what Podrick had told her about Anari, she was a very intelligent young woman. She had heard the stories; she knew that she would do anything to ensure Sana's safety. Brienne didn't know where she could take the girls, but they shouldn't be with Lord Baelish.
"My ladies," Lord Baelish addressed the sisters. "This woman swore to protect Renly; she failed. She swore to protect your mother; she failed. Why should we need someone with your history of failure guarding the two most wanted girls in Westeros?" He questioned, glancing back at Brienne.
"Why should you have any say in their affairs?" Brienne questioned in return. She didn't like this; she didn't like how Lord Baelish was taking control of the situation and speaking for the girls as if they weren't there. She made her pledge to their mother and to them, not to Lord Baelish. She wasn't loyal to him.
"I am their uncle," Lord Baelish replied. "I married their Aunt Lysa Arryn shortly before my beloved's untimely death." Brienne glanced at the girls and managed to catch the scowl that briefly passed over Anari's face at the mention of her aunt.
While silent through this entire exchange, Brienne was slowly coming to believe that Anari knew more of what was currently going on than what she was letting on. She was very expressive when she thought no one was looking, and Brienne found that curious.
Most of the people she has met have either shown too little or too much of their emotions. Anari, it seemed, showed enough for one to understand what she was feeling, yet not so much so as to figure out what she was thinking. Watching the girl only made Brienne more desperate to speak to her properly, without any interference.
"We are family now, and you are an outsider," Lord Baelish continued with a smirk. "Forgive me, Lady Brienne, but experience has made me wary of outsiders."
Having heard enough of Lord Baelish speaking for the girls, she scoffed and faced them herself. "Lady Anari, Lady Sansa, if we could speak alone, I can explain everything," she pleaded. "I swore to your mother I would find you and keep you safe."
"Why didn't you protect her?" Sansa questioned, her voice barely containing her contempt for the woman.
"I wanted to, believe me, I wish I was there to save her," Brienne replied. "But your mother commanded me to bring Ser Jaime back to King's Landing; it was her hope that by returning him, they would let you both go home."
Anari frowned, as she hadn't realized that was the agreement. Jaime had made no mention of it to her during any of their time together. She felt torn. She wanted to know more, she wanted to give Brienne the benefit of the doubt, but as Lord Baelish had said; experience has made her wary.
Brienne seemed too sincere to be lying, but Anari could tell she wasn't telling them everything. Glancing at Lord Baelish, Anari thought that perhaps it was because he was there. For a moment, Anari entertained the idea of seeing Brienne in a more private setting.
If things went wrong, and Brienne wasn't who she said she was, then Anari would be able to buy Sansa time to leave the room to get help. While there had been a few changes, Anari would be willing to take a small risk in order to get answers and to potentially get more help.
Before she could speak, however, Lord Baelish answered. "No," his tone was clipped as he spoke. He was not going to allow her a moment alone with them, least of all Anari. She would put together the missing pieces of a puzzle he didn't want to be solved; he knew she would.
"My ladies," Brienne implored. "Allow me to explain, I swear, I will not lie to either of you."
"I saw you at Joffrey's wedding," Sansa said, her voice cold and reserved. "You were bowing to the king, why should we trust someone who bowed to someone like him?"
"I was paying respects to Queen Margaery," Brienne replied. "Before marrying Joffrey Baratheon, she was widow to Renly Baratheon. I knew her, and I wished to give her my respects, not Joffrey." Upon seeing in Sansa's eyes that she wasn't convinced, Brienne sighed. "None of us wanted to be at that wedding. Sometimes we don't have a choice in the things we get to do. Yet sometimes, we do have a choice, a chance to take a different path."
She glanced back to Anari, hoping that the older girl would give her a chance. She could see that Anari was torn, and Brienne tried to think of anything she could say to hopefully get her to trust her enough to allow her a private audience.
Glancing out the window, Brienne thought of Podrick. While he didn't say he and Anari were particularly close, she was sure the girl would remember him. At the very least, her words seemed to calm Sansa, as her glare lessened in its ice.
While Sansa could see that Anari was entertaining the idea, the personal connection with their mother proved too much for her to bear any longer. "Thank you for your services," she said. "But you should leave." Anari looked to her sister, a frown evident on her face.
Brienne looked to Anari, waiting for her answer. She was the oldest, she made the definitive decisions; she had the ability to choose whether or not she wanted her help. Looking back at Brienne, Anari's eyes shone with frustration and exasperation.
Upon meeting her gaze, Anari gave the woman a small, apologetic smile. Brienne nodded, understanding that Anari wasn't going to accept. Standing from her kneeling position, Brienne made to leave. "We shouldn't let our new friend wander the countryside alone," Lord Baelish said before she could walk away. "The roads here aren't safe." Anari's eyes went to Lord Baelish as a frown settled over her lips.
What was he doing? Looking to Brienne again, however, she realized what it was that was going on. Brienne knew their names, knew their faces, and she now knew their disguises. However, Anari didn't want the woman hurt. If she was allowed to stay, then Anari would find a way to see her in private.
She wanted to know what Brienne knew; she wanted to hear all of it. "The man asked you to stay," one of the knights said as he moved to block Brienne from leaving.
Brienne's eyes narrowed as the knights began to close in on her. Glancing back at the girls, she made eye contact once more with Anari. "I have Podrick Payne in my company," she said. "He's told me of your kindness and your willingness to do what is right. It was an honor to meet you."
Quickly, Brienne shoved the closest knight away from her. Using her size, Brienne moved to shoulder shove another knight away, allowing her a moment to flee the inn. Anari stood up, her eyes widening. Brienne had Podrick with her?
She remembered that he was Tyrion's squire, and she knew that Tyrion had grown quite fond of him. Looking to Lord Baelish, her eyes filled with ice. "Bring her back," she stated. "Have them bring her and her companion back alive and unharmed."
Lord Baelish looked to her, narrowing his eyes in curiosity. Anari was unwavering, she wanted this woman brought back. She wanted to see Podrick again. If Brienne was telling the truth, if Podrick was with her, then he must know something about Tyrion.
There must have been a reason as to why Tyrion sent him away. Podrick was only a squire, while not impossible to become something more, Anari didn't think that just anyone would know who Podrick was. "You heard Lady Anari," Lord Baelish said as he looked to the few knights that remained. "Bring Lady Brienne and her companion back to us."
The knights nodded and moved to go carry out the order. Meanwhile, Lord Baelish stood and bid Sansa rise as well. They needed to leave, now that their cover may have been revealed, they needed to put as much distance as possible between this inn and whatever spies Cersei had looking for them.
"We must leave," Lord Baelish said. "Now that your names have been used so publicly, it will only be a matter of time before someone puts things together."
"What about-"
"They will be brought back to our next camp," Lord Baelish assured, already knowing what she was going to ask. Anari sighed before nodding, she knew that the only thing she could do now was to wait. Nodding in agreement, the girls, Lord Baelish, and the remaining knights left the inn and mounted the horses.
Given that getting into the caravan would take too much time, it made more sense to get on horseback. Quickly, their smaller party rode away. Anari could only hope that she would be able to talk to Brienne again, this time without Lord Baelish's interference.
She had a feeling she would know a lot from Brienne, and she wanted to see Podrick again. Anari was certain that he would be able to tell her any scrap of news there was to hear about Tyrion, as he must have seen him before he left. Maybe, just maybe, Podrick and Brienne were sent out by Tyrion.
The thought made Anari's heart flutter as she rode next to her sister. Hopefully soon, everything would be as it should be. She prayed that the worst of things were behind her and that the future held something good.