From the Ashes (ASOIAF) (Sandor Clegane x OC)

Chapter 20: Brienne

      Brienne looked out over Blackwater Bay. It was an especially bright day and the sun was glittering off the water making it almost blinding. It had been a very long three weeks. As much as she enjoyed the company of Davos, Gendry, and Podrick, it had become glaringly obvious as soon as they'd left that Tyrion and Tess brought a certain energy to their group dynamic that was sorely lacking in their absence. Elle had done a superb job at running the inn while Tess was gone. But while Brienne would never tell her to her face, it definitely lacked the spark that made patrons want to come back each night. She even missed Clegane a little. He may be hostile and crass, but she'd come to appreciate his scathing whit. He was the kind of person that didn't talk much, but when he did you could always count on him to say something worth hearing. She wondered how their trip had gone. Tyrion was supposed to have appointed a castellan for the Rock to rule in his his stead. She knew he wasn't looking forward to it. She turned and walked down the corridor and across the inner courtyard. Without warning Tyrion turned a corner and almost collided with her.

"Ah! Just the woman I was looking for!" He said brightly.

"I wasn't expecting you for another few hours!" Said Brienne, "it's good to have you back!"

"We made better time between Rosby and here than we expected to." Tyrion replied, "in truth I think Tess was just anxious to get home to her own bed. Not that I blame her. But I met Davos on the way in and he told me you had news?"

"Yes." She said, "We're to have a visitor, she'll arrive in about a weeks time."

"And who might our mysterious guest be?" He asked. Brienne smirked.

"Your lady wife." 

     Tyrion stopped walking and looked at her.

"Sansa is coming to Kings Landing?" He said, looking disbelieving, "Given everything that happened to her here I doubted if she'd ever set foot here again."

"I don't think she's particularly looking forward to it, but love for her brother seems to have won out. She very much wants to see him and make sure he's well. I'm sure she explains it all much better than I can in her letter. One came for you the same day mine arrived. She'll be here the beginning of next week and she's bringing a contingent of Northern Lords with her."

"The first official parlay of the Ruler of the Six Kingdoms and the Queen of the North. I suppose we should have a feast don't you think?" He said.

"Yes, I suppose we should." Brienne agreed, "Will you see to the arrangements?"

"It would be my pleasure." He answered. They had reached the door to his quarters in the tower of the hand.

"Speaking of feasts, can I assume you'll be joining us for dinner at Tess's tonight?"she asked.

"Are you joking?" Said Tyrion, "I've been dreaming of Elle's fresh bread for weeks! You know if I wasn't entirely sure Tess would have my head for it, I'd steal that woman away and put her in the castle kitchens."

"You better not let her hear you talking like that even in jest." Brienne teased with a smile, Tyrion returned it, and then headed into his rooms.

      There was no doubt about it, Brienne thought as she was sitting at their normal table at Tess's a few hours later. The place was brighter when Tess was there. The minute Brienne had walked through the gate Tess had come tearing out of the inn wrapping her arms around Brienne in a crushing hug.

"I have missed you." She'd said happily. Brienne had returned her hug awkwardly, and asked how the trip was.

"Wonderful....magnificent....life changing...." Tess had said happily, she was beaming and seemed so light Brienne half expected her to float away.