“You needed my protection in Winterfell. Daenerys would have burned you alive had I not been there to defend you. So don’t tell me you don’t need my protection.”
The tears flowed steadily down her cheeks now, a waver in her voice as she spoke. She only had just enough control to stop herself breaking down entirely. At least she was beside the door now. She could flee in an instant if it suddenly became overwhelming.
Gods, she felt foolish. Never had she intended on falling in love with anyone again after Renly, and here she stood, a woman grown wishing she had never allowed herself to be so stupid a second time over. She had always thought those in love were weak, and she had proved that to herself not once but twice.
His words stilled her. Hand hovered over the door handle just a moment before it dropped back to her side. She found herself looking down at her boots, quite unable to look at him.
He was right. She knew he was and he knew he was. She was afraid. Brienne had always thought herself fearless, but it would seem matters of the heart were different matters entirely.
She was afraid of having her heart broken again. Although there had been nought more than friendship between them in Winterfell, her world had shattered the night he had left.
She had pulled herself together, of course. She had sworn to protect Lady Sansa, a task she would be still undertaking if-
She disliked thinking on the memory. How she had fumbled in the weeks after they returned to Winterfell, after King Bran had taken the throne. How Lady Sansa had looked upon her with great sympathy in her eyes as she sent Brienne back to Tarth to take a break from her duties. Gods, how Jaime would mock her if he ever discovered her weakness.
“Alright,” she answered quietly. “If…Jaime, if you want us to serve side by side…prove to me that I will not simply be there to protect you. Please…swear to me.”
Jaime’s lips pressed firmly together. It was true. If Brienne had not stepped up, had not vouched for him before the Mother of Dragons, then he may not even be here. He owed her, again... Perhaps deep down, that was why he wanted to pay her back, make sure that she lived the rest of her life happily, in a place where she was well looked after. Where she could be proud of serving someone she cared for. Jaime was not the easiest to unravel, not even he could understand his feelings most of the time. He’d spent so many years in such a toxic environment, he prepared himself for the worst, he hid himself away to protect himself and lashed out instead.
But that was in Winterfell. Winterfell was months ago now, and things had changed. He was no longer facing a mad woman and her dragons. Instead, he was facing the young boy who he had pushed out of a window. Yet King Bran did not punish him for it, not like he should have been.
Straightening, he looked at her. An oath, she wanted? Why he should have known... It was the thing of knight, to honour, to give their lives to kings and queens, even if they hated them. Jaime had stopped being a knight so long ago, that he had only returned to keeping his oaths when he had met Brienne. Gods knew that she made him want to be a better person. She had no idea of the life he had lived. It was not all glory, it was pain, it was suffering, lies and betrayal. Even by the woman he had loved. The mother of his children. Even she had turned, betrayed and cheated him when he was away. And he was the biggest fool of them all, for loving his family nonetheless.
Yet, this was something Jaime needn’t hesitate on. He had been... happy around Brienne. Something he felt he hadn’t had in such a long time. She was honest, she was brave, by the gods he knew she could fight.
“Then I swear it, by the Gods.” He did not say he didn’t need protecting, and for once, he felt the argument slip from his tongue. He needn’t argue, he only needed to prove his words as honest. A hard thing to do when you were a Kingslayer. If there were anyone in the Kingdoms who believed in his word, then it was the woman who stood before him.
