𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐋 || 𝐉𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫

Chapter 20

The men started our journey early the next day. Jaime, Brienne, and I were all set upon horses before being tied up once more. Jaime's severed hand hung from his neck, already beginning to reek from the decay. They forced him to wear it and mocked him mercilessly, shouting horrible, indecent things to him that I dared not repeat. How could they be so cruel to him? He didn't deserve this kind of treatment!

He sat limply as the horse walked on, his head hanging to the side. I bit my lip and exchanged worried glances with Brienne. Suddenly, he began to slip.

"He's going to fall!" I shouted, trying to get anyone's attention as I, myself, was still bound, "He's going to fall off his horse! Someone help him!"

His body tilted to the side as his weak form slipped off of the horse's saddle. He landed in the mud with a thump and I wriggled in my ropes. Groaning, he tried to get up. Mud covered him from head-to-toe, making his dirty blond hair brown. The leader of our band of kidnappers jumped off of his horse then and walked over to Jaime.

"Water! Water, water..." he said weakly as another man came over, canteen in hand.

He proceeded to pour it over Jaime's head, making the other men laugh. I scoffed.

"Quit it! What in the world is wrong with you?!" I shouted at them.

The leader shot daggers at me but I just glared right back at him.

"Would you like the same treatment, m'lady?" he asked mockingly.

I said nothing, just continued to give him what mother always had described as my 'death glare'.

"If he dies-" I started then and the leader cut me off.

"Oh, enough," he waved me off and handed a canteen to Jaime.

Jaime grabbed it with both hands and drank quickly from it.

"Can't say that I've ever seen a man drink horse urine that fast." the leader jeered.

The men erupted in laughter and my blood boiled as Jaime vomited out the liquid onto the muddy ground. They pulled him to his feet but just as they did, Jaime elbowed the other man in the face and stole his sword. The men around him drew their own swords and he defleted their blows with his left hand. He was keeping it up when one came up behind him and knocked him to his feet. He grabbed the air frantically for his sword that had slid out of his hand.

"Stop!" I commanded, squirming off of the horse and landing on my feet.

My flowy dress was now matted with grass and dirt stains but somehow it had retained that regal elegance to it. It brushed across my ankles as I walked determinedly over to the men. Jaime picked up his sword again and slashed at a man. I kicked one of the men beside me in the shin and he went down with a painful groan. Smiling maliciously, I did the same to another. And another. Suddenly, my way was barred by swords.

Just then, Jaime was knocked to the ground once more and this time, he didn't get back up again. The leader came over and kicked him repeatedly.

"Stop! Stop it! Don't hurt him!" I cried out as I was held back by the men.

After several more blows, he stopped and leaned down in Jaime's face.

"Do that again and I'll take your other hand." he told him.

Jaime breathed deeply as he lay there on the ground and my heart broke for him.