A Lions Flower |J.Lannister|

• Chapter 12 •

Spring was coming to a close and the weather was changing around them quickly as they continued on their way. Communication with the outside world was a non-starter and Rose could only imagine where Margaery and Loras were at that moment and if they were safe. Rose hated to worry but she simply couldn't help it when she cared for them so deeply. 

But little to Rose's knowledge, Margaery and Loras were already in King's Landing. Margaery had done exactly what Rose expected and weasled her way into a new family and new riches as she was getting ready to marry the King, Jaime's son, Jaime's bastard son with Cersei.

Jaime had been gone for about a year fighting and in captivity and now traveling throughout the reaches of Westeros. He had no idea that King's Landing was attacked by Stannis Baratheon's forces and that Cersei was ready to kill Tommen and herself on the Iron Throne. Much to Stannis' dismay, the siege failed and Tywin had saved the city. Jaime didn't know if they were looking for him but he clung on to lost hope that maybe they were and they didn't forget all about him because he failed. 

Brienne had no idea where Sansa or Arya were. She assumed they were in King's Landing, relatively safe. This task that Lady Catelyn had bestowed upon Brienne was more difficult than she had originally imagined. What if none of the girls are in King's Landing when they arrive? What if they are dead? Brienne told herself it would eventually play out fine, but the world was cruel and people were even worse so she couldn't believe even the best possibility. 
 

But no matter how many questions the three of them had, they wouldn't be answered anytime soon. Right now, they faced a larger dilemma. In order to cross the river, they needed to cross a very public bridge. If they crossed the bridge they were risking being seen and possibly taken into someone else's camp and traded back to the Stark's where Robb would certainly execute them. Jaime was already a little paranoid about the man that had seen them earlier and Rose would be lying if she said she wasn't either. But they had no choice in that moment to be paranoid or scared at anything. They must cross the bridge if they want to return to their families. 

Jaime thought to himself for a long while before they had even reached the bridge and as scared or unsettled as he was about the man, he knew he could get more sympathy because he had money and a name people were willing to listen to. So, if Jaime wanted to get home quicker, he needed to draw attention to himself and all he wanted to do was go home. 

"I need to rest." Jaime said. He began sitting down, the chain Brienne was holding weighing heavily to her right as Jaime sat in the middle of the bridge. 

"Get up." Brienne demanded. 

"I have these, you know, on your feet when you walk to far? What do you call them?" 

"Get up now." Brienne demanded again. 

"Jaime get up. We need to keep moving." Rose pleaded. 

"Corns." Jaime ignored their pleas. 

"I never used to get corns. Of course I use to ride everywhere. No march around like a common foot soldier wearing the same shit boots for over a year. The heel is ruined." Jaime wined about his boots and Brienne and Rose became more restless. They had to keep moving. 

"There's no way-" Jaime quickly got up and moved toward Brienne, grabbing one of her swords, catching her off guard. She drew her sword.

"I never understood why some knights felt the need to carry two swords." Jaime admired Brienne's sword. No, it wasn't as nice or well made as his, or a valyrian steel sword, but still decent for a Lady "Knight".

Jaime lunged at Brienne who tried her best to block every move he made. It was quite easy for her, as he was still chained at the hands but he still moved like he practiced everyday.
"You move well for a great beast of a woman." Jaime commented again.