A Rest of Swords

Part fourteen

Okay, just quickly wanted to point out that I hate the middle part. I just can't write Selwyn, probably because he wasn't in the show and I'm unable to define his character, I don't know.

That's all, I just need a bit of whining sometimes. Hope you like how this unravels, though...

Brienne was standing on a hill on Tarth, the wind blew around her and brought the salty promise of ocean and freedom with it. The moonless night was dark, but the stars glowed like campfires in the blackness to guide her way. She could hear the waves crashing against the shore and the wind in the trees, a soft breeze that stroked through her hair like the fingers of a lover.

She opened her eyes, blinked and realized that it was the fingers of her lover. No. Her husband. He smiled down at her as she squirmed sleepily, trying to chase the drowsiness away.

"Good morning."

"Morning", she mumbled, a yawn escaping her throat.

"Sorry if I woke you. But it's time for breakfast." Brienne rumbled slightly, crawling deeper under the warm furs, cuddling to his side.

"Skip it." Jaime smiled fondly at her muffled voice.

"Is it really appropriate for the Evenstar not to be present at breakfast?" She moaned. She had forgotten.
Now, with you getting married, it seems the right time for me to step down, her father had said. It hadn't been much of a fuss, gladly. No ceremony or something, the question of reign had always been more of a family matter. The handover had been announced jointly with the wedding, and that was all it took to make her officially the ruler of Tarth.

"It's appropriate for the morning after her wedding", she said, rolling onto her back to be able to see his face at her next words. "We should practically be on our honeymoon, after all." Jaime smiled and leaned forward to brush a lost strand of ruffled hair out of her forehead.

"We've come quite a long way, haven't we?", he suddenly said as if more to himself, a faraway look in his eyes even though his gaze was still resting on her face.

"Well, yes", Brienne agreed, the corner of her mouth curling. "That's...one way to put it." Jaime raised his eyebrows.

"And how would you put it, then?"

He watched how she heaved herself up to a sitting position next to him, shoulder leaned against the headboard.

"Well", she said deliberately slowly, "I would say that until now, usually, you've been rushing into danger, but gladly for you I'd be right behind you, fighting by your side or pulling your stupid ass out of trouble. Whatever might have been needed more frequently", she added casually with a sweet smile that grew even wider when he crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Oh, really?"

"Really."

"What about the times I was the one pulling your ass out of trouble, as you call it?" She innocently shrugged her shoulders.

"Can't remember those."

"What about that time you nearly got eaten by a bear?", he asked challengingly, the amusement shining from his eyes. He loved this side of her, the playful, teasing, carefree Brienne that seemed to be reserved for him alone. He felt the corner of his mouth twitch uninvitedly. "Doesn't ring a bell?"

"Not really."

"Or my absolutely brilliant and day-saving stories about sapphire mines?" She shook her head, unable to hide the grin any longer though.