The Young Lioness

Listen and Fight

That night they made a fire and ate from suplies they had brought from the inn. After dinner, Joanna asked, out of curiousity what had happened at the Eryie, "Mya, if you don't mind me asking, what happened at the Eryie?" "Well, I don't know where to begin. It began, after Lord Jon Arryn's death. Lady Lysa blamed the Lannisters for it." Mya was saying. Joanna did her best to not show how bad she was feeling, eventhough she knew that her family did not have anything to do with that. "At least, that's what I thought, but some days ago, Lord Baelish arrived at the Eryie with a girl. Lady Lysa was really happy for him to be there, it was all good, and then one day, after they married, she treathen the girl, I don't know why. I was going to stop her, but then Littlefinger came to rescue the girl, Lady Lysa said that she was sorry and then she began to say things that I was shocked to hear. She said that she had done everything for him, she said that she had killed her husband for him, she said that she had sent a letter to her sister saying it were the Lannisters for him. She was totally paranoid, but she spoke the truth and then he pushed her through the Moon Door. I heard it and I got really scared, I know all the secrets. If he finds out, I'll be dead. So I ran away." Mya explained. Joanna was burning with rage for the man. He had no right to turn family against family, sister against sister, He had no right to harm my family!, Joanna thought. She still managed to said, "Now you're far away, you can start again. If you excuse me, I'll just take a walk around to see if there is any dangers." "I'll go with you." Brienne said. Joanna knew that she was terrible at lying and that Brienne probably saw that she was not allright. Even Podrick saw it, however he did not say a thing.
They were far away enough when Joanna finally talked, "I'm going to kill him!" "The man is a viper. But he has Sansa. After we get her, you can do as you like." Brienne said. "He had no right to do that! He had no right to turn Lannisters against Starks! He had no right to start a fucking war, just to gain power!" Joanna said. "I know. He hurted many people, us included, with that war and he will pay for his crimes soon or later. You'll see." Brienne said. "Because of him, Tyrion was almost killed by Lysa Arryn. Because of him, my father and my brothers went to war. Nothing of good came out of it! Because of him, I had to go to the capital and all my life fell apart! More than it had ever fallen! Because of him, I couldn't keep a single vow!" Joanna said angry and sad. "All of that is true and you have every right to be angry with him and to avenge all of it. But, look at it from this prespective, if it wasn't for him, and I'm not defending him, you wouldn't get to meet Pod or Sansa or me. If it wasn't for him, Tyrion would not have been the best Hand in years, as you told me once. If it wasn't for him, I would never have met your brother. And, you know it's true, if it wasn't for him, you'd probably still be at Casterly Rock by now. It did more bad, than good, it's a fact, but there are good things that came out of it, as well. Not everything is bad." Brienne explained. "You're probably right, but I can't think straight right now. I can't, it's just too much. One minute I had it all and the next it's all falling apart, over and over again." Joanna said. "Life can be like that sometimes. Catelyn Stark once said that we were knights of the summer and that winter was coming for the likes of us. I never truly understood what she meant, until Renly died that night. Winter was the thing we were most afraid of, not the season. For me, it all fell apart when he died and then again when me and your brother got captured. But, after every winter, the summer came again.  Things will get better, you'll see." Brienne said trying to make her undestand that it was not all lost. That there was still a chance in life. "Thank you, Brienne. For telling me this and for calming me down. I was protected my whole life, I guess that's because I still get so desperate when things go wrong." Joanna said with a small smile. "You're welcome. And what is it that you are always saying?" Brienne asked. "People can be mean sometimes, but we just have to keep on living." Joanna answered. "That's it." Brienne said. "I just want to say, sorry about Renly and Catelyn. They were good people and did not deserve to die." Joanna said. "Thank you. It means a great deal to me." Brienne said. "Uh, did we just let Pod alone in camp?" Joanna said with a giggle. "Gods, you're right. We better go back, before something happens." Brienne said with a giggle.
When they got to camp, there was only Podrick there, "Where's Mya?" Brienne asked. "She said she should go on her way and left, my lady. But, she thanked you, before leaving." Pod explained.
After sometime by the fire they went to sleep, however before that Podrick was tying the horses with something for them not escape and Joanna went to grab her cloak from the bag of her horse, she did not even notice he was there until she reached the horses. "Joanna." Podrick wishpered. "Yes, Pod?" Joanna whispered back. He called me Joanna, not my lady?, Joanna thought suprised. "Are you allright?" Pod asked. "I am. Thank you for asking." Joanna said. "You don't have to thank me. I was worried after you stormed out that way." Pod said. "I shouldn't have done that, but it's the way I handle things." Joanna explained. "I know. Good night." Pod said smiling. "Good night." Joanna said smiling too. That night Joanna dreamt an old dream that she had not dared to dream since the night that she and Podrick met. Joanna dreamt of The Wall.
At the break of dawn they resumed their journey to the Eryie, the journey was not so bad, they managed to stay clear of the Moutains Clans and Joanna learnt that Tyrion was a friend of some of them. It did not suprised her because she knew that her brother could make friends anywhere he went, with just his ability of talking. Sometimes, Joanna wondered why was it that Tyrion, Cersei and Jaime could managed an escape with one lie and she never could. She still tried, for her unluck in the times to come. Though, she prefered honesty above all.
At the second day of journey they made camp, as always. They should be getting close to the Bloody Gate by then. Podrick tied the horses this time again, because it had never gone wrong before, and then they made a fire and went to sleep some time after dinner.
In the morning, Joanna woke up with Brienne and Podrick talking, more like the way that they used to talk when Pod had screwd things up. Joanna got up and realized that it was because of Podrick loosing the horses. No! No! Not again! Please! Why? Why did I let him tied the horses this time?!, Joanna thought in panick, after the last time of being without a horse out there, she never wanted it to happened again. Joanna was going to say something, however she saw that Pod was feeling really bad about it and besides Brienne had already told him that he would be the one to take the things, therefore Joanna decided not to say anything and just went along with them in silence.
After some time walking, they saw a little girl practicing with the sword, when the girl saw them she froze and muttered something that Joanna could not quite understand. "Morning." Brienne said. "Morning." the girl answered unsurely. Joanna suddenly realized that she was the girl that she had bumped to in the day of Ned Stark's beheading in the capital and that she had seen again at Harrenhal. "Lovely sword. Are we getting close to the Bloody Gate?" Brienne asked. "About 10 more miles." the girl answered. "Hear that Podrick, only 10 more miles to the Bloody Gate." Brienne said. "We're almost there." Joanna said. "Are you knights?" the girl asked. "No." Brienne answered."But you know how to use that swords?" the girl asked. "We do and we are better than most of the knights." Joanna said and the girl smiled. "Do they have names?" the girl asked coming closer. "Oathkeeper." Brienne said and then Joanna said, "Sharp Claw." "Mine's Needle." the girl said. "Good name." Brienne and Joanna said at the same time. "Who thought you how to fight?" the girl asked to Brienne, curiously. "My father." Brienne said. "Mine never wanted to, he said fighting was for boys." the girl answered. "Mine said the same, but I kept fighting the boys anyway, kept loosing. Finally, my father said if you're going to do it, you might just as well doing it right." Brienne said. "And you? You're a long way from KingsLanding." the girl asked Joanna. "So are you. It was my eldest brother." Joanna said. "One of my brothers gave me Needle and told to practice." the girl said. "Mine gave me Sharp Claw." Joanna said and the girl smiled.
Then a man that Joanna and Podrick recognised instantly. "Seven blessings. I'm Brienne of Tarth, this is Podrick Payne and this is Joanna Hill." Brienne said. Joanna froze, her sister probably had a bounty on her head by then and The Hound was Joffrey's sworn sword. Eventhough, Joanna knew that he knew that Joffrey was a monster, she also knew that he knew who she was. "You want something?" he asked. Then Pod said, "You're Sandor Clegane, The Hound." Joanna swallowed as she heard him. The girl was Arya Stark. She had known her since she arrived at KingsLanding and she not even knew who she was. The things that this girl might have seen, Joanna did not even want to think about it. All because of Littlefinger, who claimed to love her mother. "You're Arya Stark." Brienne said also suprised. "I asked if you wanted something." Clegane said, reaching for his sword. Joanna did the same. She did not want to fight The Hound, however it looked like it would go down as a fight. "I swore to your mother I would bring you home to her." Brienne said. "My mother's dead." Arya said. Joanna remembered what the Locke's party said about the Red Wedding, she could not fell more bad about it. It was my family who did that, Joanna thought. "I know. I wish I could have been then to protect her." Brienne said. "You're not a northwomen." Arya said suprised. "No. But I swore a sacred vow to protect her." Brienne said. "Why didn't you?" Arya asked. Joanna wanted to say that it was not Brienne's fault, that it had been her father, Tywin Lannister's fault, that it had been another unspeakable thing that had Lannisters involved. However, she felt that it was not her place to say anything. "She comanded me to bring Jaime Lannister back to KingsLanding." Brienne answered.
"You paid by the Lannisters. You're here for the bounty on me." The Hound said. "I'm not paid by the Lannisters." Brienne said. "No. Nice sword you got there. Where did you get it? I've been looking at Lannister gold all my life. Go on, Brienne of fucking Tarth, tell me that's not Lannister gold. And that she is not Tywin Lannister's little cub." Clegane said by the end looking at Joanna. "She is not paid by the Lannisters, Clegane. And if there is any bounty on your head, surely there is one on my as well." Joanna said, she was tense. "Shut up, Lannister." Sandor said. "You're a Lannister?" Arya asked. "That's Joanna fucking Lannister. How do I know that you're not doing a job for your sister?" Sandor asked. "You know me since I was 11 years old, if you think I'm anything like Cersei, you haven't been paying attention. Besides, you're always saying that you're not like The Mountain, if you're not like him than I'm not like Cersei." Joanna said. "That doesn't explain the sword." The Hound said. "Jaime Lannister gave me this sword." Brienne said. "The Bloody Gate is 10 more miles." Arya said. "I swore to your mother, by the old gods and new-" Brienne was saying. "I don't care what you swore." Arya said. "Arya." Brienne said. "You heard the girl, she's not coming with you." Clegane said. "She is." Brienne said and then they both began to draw their swords, Joanna did the same. "You're not a good listener. Valyrian steel both of the swords, I always wanted some Valyrian steel." The Hound said. "Come with me Arya, I'll take you to safety." Brienne said. "Safety? Where the fuck's that? Her aunt in the Eryie is dead, her mother's dead, her father's dead, her brother's dead. Winterfell is a pile of rubble. There's no safety your dumb bitch." Sandor said. "What did you just called her?" Joanna said angry. "Stay out of this, Joanna. Please." Brienne said and Joanna had to do her best to keep her mouth shut. "If you don't know that by now, you're the wrong one to watch over her." Sandor continued. "That's what you're doing? Watching over her?" Brienne asked. "Aye, that's what I'm doing." The Hound said. Joanna could not believe what was happening. Then they both draw her swords and started to fight. Joanna draw her sword too, however Brienne said, "Stay out of this. I got it cover." Joanna sheathed back her against her will and stayed back.
Arya began to run away and Joanna went after her, however before doing that she said to Pod, "You stay here, did you hear me? It's already bad enough that she is fighting the Hound." Podrick nodded and then Joanna began to run after the girl.
Finally, Joanna caught up with her, she was in a cliff watching the fight. "Arya." Joanna said. "What do you want, Lannister? I'm not afraid to fight you." Arya said drawing Needle. "I don't want to fight you. But you got it wrong, she just wants to protect you. She swore an oath to your mother and she would die just to make sure you're safe." Joanna tried to explain her. "Then why are you with her? You're a Lannister." Arya said. "I promised my brothers that I would find you and your sister and protect you. They both made a vow to do it, so I'm helping them and to be honest I'd do anything to leave KingsLanding." Joanna said honestly. "That doesn't make sense. The Kingslayer attacked my father in the streets and your family hurt mine." Arya said angry. "Jaime attacked your father because your mother captured Tyrion, if my father had captured one of your brothers would you have stayed back and done nothing? I speak for myself and for Jaime, that we wouldn't. As of the rest, I know what my father and my sister did, I'm not them and if it was up to me none of that would have happened. But, there's something you need to know. This war between Starks and Lannisters, it wasn't my family or your family that started it. It was Littlefinger. He was the one who killed Jon Arryn, he was the one who told your family that it was the Lannisters, we had nothing to do with it. Nothing. You have my word. Littlefinger was the one who started the War of The Five Kings." Joanna said trying to make her understand. "I don't believe you, you're all liars." Arya said. "I'm a terrible liar, believe me. And there's a fight going on, because of it right now. This is not about me, if I'm the problem then I'll go away, don't worry. Just go with her, please, Arya. I don't know where your sister is, but she is with Littlefinger and because of that Sansa is not safe. I told Tyrion I would protect her, but if you want me to go away, then I'll go. Just go with Brienne, she can look after you and she can save your sister, but not if she is fighting The Hound." Joanna explained. "How do you know about my sister? And would you break your vow to your brothers for me?" Arya asked suprised. "She is my friend, I beated Joffrey's ass because of what he did to her, I'd do it again. And yes, I would. If that meant you and Sansa were safe and that Brienne fullfills her oath, then yes." Joanna said honestly. "I can't go with her, I'm sorry.'' Arya said thoughtfully but with resolve. ''I can't. I have to figure out my place in this world and I have to do it alone..." Arya explained. "I...I understand. I won't say anything. I hope we crossed paths again, someday. And, we'll keep your sister safe. That's a promise I intend to keep. Just don't tell anyone I let you go, for the old times sake, please." Joanna said after carefull consideration. "I won't, for the old times sake. I still don't believe you, Lannister. Thanks. You'd better go help your friend." Arya said. "Why? She already beated him. Look." Joanna said, she was talking to the girl, however she had always been watching the fight. "How? It was The Hound!" Arya said. "She is one of the best swordfighters I know, otherwise I wouldn't have stayed back." Joanna explained. "Farewell, Lannister." Arya said. "You too, Stark." Joanna said. The girl smiled and then she went away quickly. Joanna got as fast as she could to where Brienne and Podrick were. "Did you find her?" Brienne asked. "No, the girl disapeared. Are you allright?" Joanna said. She knew what Arya was going through, besides if she wanted help against Petyr Baelish, she would have to proove her that she was serious about what she said. I really hate have to lie!, Joanna thought. "I'll be allright." Brienne said. However, Joanna noticed that something changed, she knew that what Brienne had said was the truth, but without all the information. Like, some time before, she had said to Tyrion, when she agreed to not to go to save Jaime, back at KingsLanding.