Oathkeeper

Chapter 2: Night Terrors

The tavern was able to feed them, and bring them some temporary warmth but that was all. There was nowhere for Brienne to get Sansa some warmer clothes, nowhere to draw her a bath, nowhere for them to lay their heads. Brienne and the Lady of Winterfell stood by the fire for as long as they could in attempts to dry the girl's clothes. Although they never did dry completely, it was enough to ensure that the girl would make it through the night. After the trio finished eating, Pod readied the horses and they continued on with their journey to Castle Black. They traveled for a few hours through the darkness, only able to see the snow and trees ahead. Brienne wanted to get as far away from Winterfell as they could before feeling it was safe enough for them to rest their heads. But Lady Sansa was dozing off, her grip loosening from Brienne's waist made her feel like she was losing her all over again. So they stopped, Pod set up an area for them to get a fire started while Brienne made a cozy spot for them to rest. Lady Sansa and Pod sat on big coats that had been placed on top of the snow. Brienne decided she would stay up and keep watch to make sure the Lady was safe.

Sometime through the night Pod would take his turn keeping watch, but for now Brienne was satisfied. She sat on a fallen log and kept her head on a swivel, reacting to any noise she heard. Next thing she knew the sun started to peak from the east side of the world. Finally the sun was starting to return to them. Pod slept through the entire night like a baby, and so did Sansa. Until now. Brienne noticed the Lady shaking so she took off her extra coat and wrapped it around the girl. But then Sansa began to move more abruptly, and she was mumbling words.

"No...please.... let me go... please" Sansa pleaded in her sleep.

A tear fell from her eye which hurt Brienne like a stab wound. Watching the girl panic in her sleep reminded her of her failure. If only she could have been more convincing, If only she fought a little harder, Sansa would have never wound up with Ramsey. Brienne pitied the obviously traumatized redhead so she woke her. Brienne shook her softly, and called out her name just above a whisper. Sansas eyes shot open while her body jolted in an upright position. Sansa breathed heavily as she checked her surroundings frantically. Her breathing only settled once Brienne placed a hand on top of hers. She looked into Brienne's crystal blue eyes, and was reminded that she was safe with her.

"I'm sorry to wake you my lady. You were having night terrors, and I... I thought I should." Brienne apologized sincerely.

"It's okay Brienne. I'm glad you did. Thank you" Sansa smiled softly at the taller woman.

They sat in awkward silence for a few minutes until Sansa realized she had Brienne's coat wrapped around her. Sansa reached to take it off her shoulders and return it to Brienne but was stopped by the blonde haired woman.

"I need you to stay warm my Lady" Brienne refused the coat back.

"And I need you alive. You'll freeze out here Brienne of Tarth." She grinned in a mocking tone. "Have you ever spent this many days out in the snow before?" Sansa raised an eyebrow.

Brienne didn't respond, knowing that she had never been exposed to the snow for this long. And as much as she wanted to be brave, it was getting to her. Sansa reached to take the coat off her shoulder again, this time she was uninterrupted by Brienne.

"Thank You, My Lady" Brienne bowed her head before putting her coat back on.

"So what's it like there?" Sansa questioned.

"Warm" Brienne responded with snark.

"Obviously, apart from that. I'd really like to know " Sansa pierced her dark ocean blue eyes into the light crystal ones.

Brienne found herself captivated by Sansa's beauty again. She looks down at her twiddling fingers before responding to Sansa.

"It was beautiful, a beautiful island. The ocean was sapphire blue, and the land had so many colorful flowers. The castle is hoisted up on these giant rocks. There's at least a thousand steps leading up to it." Brienne reminisced about her home.