Chapter Text
“Ser Galladon was a champion of such valor that the Maiden herself lost her heart to him. She gave him an enchanted sword as a token of her love. The Just Maid, it was called. No common sword could check her, nor any shield withstand her kiss. Ser Galladon bore the Just Maid proudly, but only thrice did he unsheathe her. He would not use the Maid against a mortal man, for she was so potent as to make any fight unfair.”
- A Feast for Crows
If I ever were to lose you,
I'd surely lose myself
Everything I have found here,
I've not found by myself
Try and sometimes you'll succeed
To make this man of me
All of my stolen missing parts
I've no need for anymore
I believe,
And I believe, 'cause I can see
Our future days,
Days of you and me
Back when I was feeling broken,
I focused on a prayer
You came deep as any ocean,
It's something out there here
All the complexities and games,
No one wins, but somehow, they still play
All the missing crooked hearts,
They may die, but in us they live on
I believe,
And I believe, 'cause I can see
Our future days,
Days of you and me
When hurricanes and cyclones rage,
When wind turned dirt to dust,
When floods they came or tides they raised
Ever closer became us
All the promises at sundown,
I meant them like the rest
All the demons used to come ‘round,
I'm grateful now they've left
So persistent in my ways,
Here an angel, lying here to stay,
No resistance, no alarms, please, this is just too good to be gone
I believe,
And I believe, 'cause I can see
Our future days,
Days of you and me
You and me
Just you and me
- Pearl Jam “Future Days”
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Lord Commander Ser Brienne Lannister was tired. Her days were filled with small council meetings, setting the watch around the Red Keep, dealing with switching guards around whenever something came up in their lives and they had to make last minute changes. Ever since the law that decreed members of the Kingsguard were to take a vow of celibacy had been revoked, life for Brienne had gotten interesting to say the least.
As she sat in her bathtub in her rooms in the White Sword Tower, she lay back, resting her head and sighing. Rare moments of peace and quiet like this were as necessary for her as breathing. Ser Podrick was a wonderful second-in-command for her and he helped her greatly, but she took her position very seriously and carried out her duties sometimes above and beyond what was required of her. King Bran had actually pulled her aside one day last week after the council meeting to voice his concern over her well-being and wondering if she was doing too much. His face had been unreadable as usual, but deep down Brienne knew what he was really getting at.
She smiled as her hand went to her stomach. She was about to enter her fourth month and her belly had just begun to swell ever so slightly.
“Congratulations, Lord Commander,” Bran had said when they had met in private, the hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth. “We have lived so long in darkness, it is nice to finally see hints of light coming back.”
Brienne had told him that it wouldn’t affect her duties and that she would make sure he was looked after as always. He had simply nodded and said he knew, and that he was glad that Jaime had thought to abolish that silly law so that love could once again thrive in the world for everyone, including those who had once been limited by their occupation. He also had gone on to tell her that she and Jaime starting a family would have no consequence on her position, and that she could rest easy knowing she would serve him for many years as his Lord Commander.
“Too much has been taken away from everyone,” he had said. “It’s time to give back some hope for our future.”
Of course Tyrion had been over the moon once they told him. He had been very animated and started prattling on about how he couldn’t wait to be a real uncle this time to a child who would love him in return. He had also taken to following Brienne around constantly asking her if she felt alright. Most times she wanted to drop kick him through the nearest doorway, but deep down she found it endearing, and she realized that marrying one Lannister had included marrying what was left of the other Lannisters as well. Besides, she had actually been pleased to realize that since Bran’s election, she and Tyrion had become somewhat of confidantes to each other and she did actually very much enjoy their chats. Especially the odd ones late at night where she would have trouble sleeping due to her pregnancy sickness and Jaime was snoring contentedly and she didn’t want to wake him. She would throw on her robe and pad barefoot across to Tyrion’s rooms, as she knew he was usually awake at odd hours, and he would make her warm milk while he drank his usual wine. They would chat about affairs of state, the weather, Jaime, baby names…the topics were endless. Sometimes they would play chess while conversing. Perhaps she provided Tyrion some much needed companionship and intellectual sparring partnership as well.
And of course there was Jaime. After having been examined by Sam, with Gilly agreeing to be her midwife when the time came, Brienne had broken the news to him. She had only seen him quite so happy one other time, and that on was their second wedding day. He had finally gotten his wish, and they had had a ceremony here in King’s Landing, where he positively beamed as he placed a crimson and gold Lannister cloak over her gown of royal blue silk. She suddenly remembered how handsome he had looked, in his black and gold Lannister armor with red cloak and cravat, his hair coiffed perfectly and his beard trimmed. She hadn’t had eyes for anyone but him on that day. It had been quite a difference from their private wedding in the Winterfell Godswood with only Samwell Tarly as a witness.
Her father, Lord Selwyn Tarth, had made the journey to officially give his daughter away. She remembered the look of horror and shock on Jaime’s face as he finally met what was probably one of the only men in Westeros that made Brienne look small. The fact that that man was now his father-in-law hadn’t made it any easier for him, and whenever Jaime was in Lord Selwyn’s presence he was overly polite and stood up as straight as he could. Brienne found it both adorable and hilarious at the same time. In the end though, her father had welcomed Jaime with open arms, content in seeing how happy he made his only daughter.
The sun was setting low over Blackwater Bay, turning the sky brilliant shades of blue, lavender and bright pink towards the horizon. The view from their rooms was spectacular, and Brienne particularly liked this time of day, watching torchlight come to life across the city until it became what seemed like thousands of twinkling lights. She had lit the candles around the room before getting in the bath, since she knew by the time she got out it would be well past dark. Jaime was meeting with Davos and Tyrion…something to do with shipping and trade laws that needed to be gone over. She hoped he would be home soon.
Brienne had finally started to relax, the steaming water making her limbs heavy. She rubbed her belly and spoke quietly out loud to her unborn child.
“Ahhh isn’t this nice? There’s nothing quite like a nice hot bath. Something I’m sure we’ll argue about quite a lot while you’re young,” she added with a smirk. Draping her arms over the sides of the tub, she closed her eyes again and began to drift.
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Jaime Lannister entered the chambers he shared with his wife, tired from a long day of debates. His head hurt and he wanted nothing more than to eat his dinner, curl up with his spouse and fall asleep to the cool evening breezes coming in through the open windows while he gently stroked Brienne’s soft skin.
Closing the door behind him, he stopped in his tracks and smiled, his heart catching at the sight before him. His wife, her soft downy hair now grown past her shoulders, lay peacefully sleeping in her bath water, a contented smile on her face. Quietly walking over to the corner where their armor stands stood, he unbuckled Widow’s Wail from his waist and set it next to Oathkeeper against the wall, just like they did each night. He kicked his boots off and removed his leather coat, untucking his shirt to scratch his belly. He made his way over to Brienne and knelt down next to the tub, gently taking one of her hands in his and bringing it to his lips to place a soft kiss on the inside of her palm. He then held it against his cheek and marveled at its warmth as he softly stroked her forearm.
Brienne’s eyes slowly opened and immediately met green eyes gazing lovingly at her. She smiled instantly.
“There you are,” she whispered, stroking his cheek with her thumb where he held her hand against his face. Jaime was so taken with the sight of her that he actually didn’t realize he had lifted her hand with his golden one. Brienne didn’t care or notice either. With his good hand he reached out and began playing with the tendrils of her hair.
“Here I am,” he smiled. “How are you feeling, love?”
Jaime had always been tender with her, but since she had become pregnant he was even more so.
“I’m alright, I think,” she answered him. “I’m actually starving, believe it or not.”
Her stomach hadn’t been overly kind to her the past three months, but now and then she was able to keep sustenance down when the right mixture agreed with her. Jaime straightened up and got to his feet.
“Then it’s a good thing I stopped into the kitchens on the way up and asked them to prepare supper for us. One of the attendants will bring it up when it’s ready,” he reached for the long towel draped over one of the chairs at their small table.
“Shall we get you dried off and into your nightclothes so you can be comfortable?”
She nodded and gripped the sides of the tub to aid her standing up. Jaime rushed forward and grabbed her elbow.
“No, no, let me.”
“Jaime, love, I’m not going to break,” Brienne laughed.
“Oh, hush and let me dote on my wife,” he snipped back at her. They both chuckled together. She climbed out of the tub and he wrapped the towel around her, pulling the ends together over her chest. He then put his arms around her and moved his face close to hers.
“Come here,” he whispered, leaning forward to kiss her. She smelled heavenly, like lavender oil. Her mouth was warm and her skin was flushed from the heat. The combinations flooding his senses were quickly making him rather aroused. A cool evening breeze blew in through the window and ruffled their hair. Brienne lifted her arms and snaked them around his shoulders, grabbing a fistful of hair at the back of his head and pushing her tongue into his mouth, causing Jaime to growl deep in his chest. She roughly pulled his head back and began hungrily kissing and nipping at his neck, gently sinking her teeth into him in places. Jaime closed his eyes and slid his hand down her back to grab a healthy handful of her backside while pulling her tightly against him with his right arm.
“Well, Lady Lannister,” he groaned. “You weren’t lying, you really are starving.”
“It’s your fault,” she whispered as she smiled against his neck before giving him another love bite. “This baby of yours makes me ravenous, and since our supper isn’t here yet, you’ll have to suffice.”
He laughed. “Oh is that it? Well, it was a good life, I’ll sacrifice myself for the cause.”
Now with an aching erection straining against his trousers, Jaime lowered his head and gently bit her shoulder in return, causing her to moan and wrap one of her legs around one of his. His beard rubbed her newly washed skin in all the right ways to set her off. Jaime hurriedly brought his hand around to her front, frantically rucking up the towel around her body, his fingers finding the slickness between her legs. He let out a guttural primal groan much louder than he intended when he felt how aroused she was for him.
He ripped the towel off her completely as Brienne simultaneously removed him of his shirt. Her hands made quick work of the lacings on his pants and she yanked them down over his hips, digging her fingernails into his buttocks on the way down. He growled deeply again as he once again claimed her mouth, biting her bottom lip.
The look in Jaime’s eyes was purely feral at this point as he touched his forehead to hers. Brienne gave him one of her coy smiles, which only fueled his lust. After kicking his trousers aside, he quickly looked around and realized, with some dismay, that the closest object was their dining table. He walked Brienne backwards towards it until she bumped into it, at which point he reached out and pushed the candlesticks aside and laid her down on her back.
Stopping only for a moment to gently place his hand on her belly, he leaned down and said quietly, “Sorry, little bean, but your mother and I need a good fucking.”
“Jaime! Don’t speak to our child that way,” Brienne widened her eyes in mock indignation, giggled, and wrapped her legs around him, pressing her feet into his backside.
Jaime was inside her in one deep thrust, causing both of them to groan and Brienne to grip the edges of the table and arch her back, throwing her head back so her hair splayed out around her head like a blonde puddle. Jaime thought her the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen.
He sunk his fingers into her right hip and steadied her other hip with his golden hand. There was no going slow this time. His thrusts were deep and animalistic, and watching Brienne writhing beneath him only spurred him on further. Another breeze invaded the room, making the hairs on his chest and belly stand on end.
For a few seconds Jaime actually contemplated climbing onto the table with her, but then wondered if it would hold both of them. Also, it was arousing him so much to watch her like this, that he felt rooted to the spot he was in. His wife…his glorious wife…and he was making her feel this way. He allowed male smugness to enter his thoughts, something he only usually did when he was showing her off to people, or when he had to pull rank and use his social status to get something done. He simply could never get enough of her.
It didn’t take long for either of them. Brienne shattered first, pregnancy having made all of her nerves and senses more heightened. She arched one more time and moaned into the back of her hand, constricting around Jaime from inside. Jaime wasn’t far behind her and he threw back his head and let out a low scream as he spilled into her in a series of spasms. Panting heavily, he leaned forward over her and laid his left hand flat against the table to steady himself. He leaned down once again to speak to their unborn child.
“Thank you, little bean,” he said breathlessly, dropping a small kiss right above Brienne’s belly button. He looked up at Brienne and smiled at her, his chest still heaving.
“My gods, woman.”
She slowly sat up and slid her arms around his waist, kissing him gently and letting him lean into her for support. Her hair stuck out in wild curls all around her head, some tantalizingly hanging in her eyes. He bent his head and began tracing her collarbones with his tongue, his beard leaving red spots along her overly-sensitive skin. Selfishly, he loved marking her. Brienne shivered and began to caress his buttocks.
“I wouldn’t do that unless you want to have another go,” she teased.
Jaime looked up at her with a mischievous gleam in his eye and a grin began to creep across his lips. He ran his hands up her thighs and was about to kiss her again when there was a knock at their door.
Brienne giggled into her hand as Jaime uttered a curse and quickly pulled out of her, looking around for his pants.
“Just a minute!” he yelled towards the door. He struggled into his breeks, almost falling over twice in the process. He wrestled his shirt back on and when he looked over at Brienne he realized she hadn’t moved. In fact, she had leaned back on her hands and was giving him a rather lascivious look, a few stray curls still hanging down in front of her face. The rest fell about her shoulders in waves. He whined piteously as his eyes roved over her, coming to rest on her slightly parted legs. When she noticed where he was looking, she opened them a bit more and leaned back further, down on her elbows now, never taking her eyes off Jaime’s.
Jaime clenched and unclenched his fist and bit his bottom lip, making a pained face like a child who had had their candy taken away. Suddenly remembering where he was and that someone was waiting outside their door, he gestured towards her robe on the bed.
“Will you put that on!” he loudly whispered at her. Brienne loved torturing him like this. She finally laughed quietly and got up, walked over to retrieve her robe and slid into it. Once Jaime was sure she was sufficiently covered, he ran his hand through his hair and attempted to settle his pounding heart.
“I’m going to get you for this,” he hissed at her but smiled, tugging at his pants, attempting to adjust himself. Brienne twittered into her hand.
Upon opening the door, one of the serving maids from the kitchens stood there with a tray of steaming venison stew, a loaf of crusted bread, honey butter, some cheese, fruit, both fresh and dried, small pickles, and a pitcher of ale. She bowed her head in acknowledgement as Jaime gestured towards the table, which only mere moments ago had been used for quite a different purpose.
The girl set everything down on the table and turned to face Brienne.
“If it pleases you, Sers, berry tarts are still in the oven and will be ready in approximately an hour. If you wish, I will bring some to you along with a pitcher of milk,” she smiled.
Brienne leaned against the bedpost and smiled, nodding her approval. “That would be lovely, thank you, Shyna.”
Shyna curtsied and left, blushing as she passed Jaime again. Brienne smirked and shook her head. It was no secret that the servant maids in the Red Keep found Jaime handsome, and they practically fell all over themselves whenever he was in their presence. The fact that Jaime never seemed to notice, or if he did he acted as if he didn’t care, made it all the more amusing to Brienne. She closed her eyes and took in a large sniff of the stew.
“Oh my goodness, that smells heavenly,” she let her nose lead her over to the table. Jaime held out her chair for her, waiting for her to be seated before he took his place across from her. Brienne was hungrily eyeing the spread before them, and reaching for a small pickle, she stopped and looked down at her stomach.
“Now, little bean, please let me eat, and let me keep it down. Alright? Thank you in advance,” she took a bite of the pickle and closed her eyes in satisfaction. Jaime watched her and shook his head while snickering. Her eyes popped open.
“What?”
“You. Watching you with child has truly been an enjoyable experience,” Jaime answered her, his smile genuine. “As if I didn’t love you enough, you make me smile even more now, you and all of your little quirks. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone take such pleasure in a pickle.”
Brienne had to laugh at that.
“It’s hard to describe,” she became thoughtful, glancing out of one of the glass doors that led to their patio that overlooked the city. “Things taste differently now,” she looked back at him, “like everything is intensified, if that makes any sense.”
Jaime scrunched up his face as if he were thinking. “I think I understand, yes,” he leaned forward over his stew and eyed her up and down. “That’s not the only thing that’s intensified lately,” he stuck his bottom jaw out like he did whenever he wasn’t attempting to hide his lust.
Brienne blushed and looked down smiling. “Yes, other senses and…um…desires have also been heightened.”
Smiling, Jaime leaned forward and took her hand in his, bringing it to his lips and gently kissing her knuckles. Brienne smiled and continued eating.
“I do love you, Jaime Lannister.”
“Not as much as I love you, Brienne Lannister…of Tarth…Ser…” he adapted a faux confused look as he tried to string her names and titles together. Brienne snorted and tweaked his nose with her fingers before he sat upright again.
“Sometimes I still can’t believe we’re here,” she said, reaching for pieces of dried apricots. “Alive, married, a little lion cub forthcoming,” she popped one of the dried fruits in her mouth and chewed it.
“Who will no doubt be as strong and stubborn as her mother,” Jaime beamed proudly.
“Oh, so it’s a girl, is it?”
“I hope so…and I hope she looks just like you,” Jaime ripped off a piece of bread and dunked it in his stew. Taking a good size bite he made satisfied noises in his throat.
Brienne’s smile faded and she looked down at her plate, her hand once again going to her belly. Jaime looked up when she had fallen silent, his brows coming together in concern.
“What is it?” he said softly.
Brienne took a shaky breath. Jaime reached for her hand again and rubbed the back of it with his thumb.
“For her sake, and for whatever other children we have, I hope they all look like you,” she said just above a whisper.
Jaime smiled sadly.
“Now why would you say that?” He knew exactly why, he just hated to see her think back to harsher times.
“You know it wasn’t easy for me growing up. I don’t want any of our future daughters to endure what I did, being teased and tormented, subjects for ridicule and cruel games and bets.”
Jaime’s heart ached for her. He had once been one of those cruel enough to have tormented her and he would gladly die a thousand deaths on his own sword to take it all back.
“Look at the woman you are right now. You’re a knight, the first woman to hold the honor. You’re Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, also the first woman to serve in that position, as well as even serve in the Order in general. Believe me, Bree, if it were within my power, I’d hunt down and kill every single person whoever did you any harm. I know I was one of those people, and I curse myself every day for having been so.”
Her eyes lifted back up to his and she smiled at him, especially whenever he used his nickname for her. Jaime continued.
“So, I have every confidence that any daughter we have will have absolutely no problem knocking any man into the dust that dares insult her…just like her mother.”
“That would be something to see.”
“And I, for one, will back her up every step of the way.”
Brienne laughed again. “Oh, Jaime, you and I both know if we have a girl you will be absolutely besotted and she will walk all over you.”
Jaime smiled so wide his eyes crinkled. “Absolutely, my lady wife.”
Having had her fill of the fruit and pickles, Brienne finally reached for her stew and bread. Foregoing the ale, she poured herself a goblet of water from the pitcher that was always kept in their chambers.
“So, how was your meeting with Ser Davos?” She asked him in between bites.
“We didn’t finish actually before we decided to recess for the night. With the reshuffling of kingdoms and the rebuilding of King’s Landing and new laws going into effect and antiquated ones being dissolved, it’s quite wearisome.”
“I can imagine so,” Brienne replied. “Well, you’re getting in the tub after we finish eating and I’m going to bathe all your cares away.”
“Oooh, that sounds exciting,” Jaime grinned mischievously again and cocked an eyebrow at her.
“Which reminds me,” Brienne stood up and walked over to the hearth, setting a pot of water to boil over the fire. “We’ll need to reheat the bath water for you.”
She returned to her chair and started in on her stew and bread again. When she had finished, she closed her eyes in satisfaction and leaned back in her chair, sighing happily.
“That good, huh?” Jaime said.
“Mmm,” she nodded her head slowly. Her eyes suddenly flew open as she lost herself in thought for a quick moment. Her hand went to her stomach. “And I think it might even stay down this time!” Her face lit up as she looked down at her belly. “Oh thank you, little bean.”
Every tiny thing Brienne did made Jaime smile like a lovesick fool. Watching her talk to their unborn child, so happy over something as small as eating made him giddy with happiness. Smearing a good chunk of honey butter on his bread, he also leaned back in his chair and lazily chewed it.
“I envy you, you know,” he said to her, his mouth full. She looked up at him with a quizzical look.
“You do? How so?”
“You get to spend every single minute with the bean. I wish I could as well. I wish I could crawl inside there too and have you both all to myself all of the time,” he laughed loudly.
“Well, with all due respect, Ser Jaime, you do your utmost trying to get back in there all the time,” Brienne teased him.
He blushed and bit his bottom lip. “Guilty.”
She smiled at him again and her eyes softened. He melted.
“Jaime, don’t ever doubt for one single moment that you are absolutely as much a part of this child’s life as I am. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I know you were denied that previously, and I simply won’t have it again. Besides, you get to have time with the little bean too. How many times have you come walking into my office during the day just to rub my stomach and say hello to him or her?” She giggled.
“I can’t help it, I just can’t keep away. And those endless meetings and duties are so boring,” he ended the sentence with a whine.
“I know, love,” Brienne tried not to laugh at him. He reached for his cup of ale and sitting back again, took a swig.
“And once the shipping and trade laws have been finalized, there’s the restructuring of the North’s independence to contend with…how far their fealty actually goes when it comes to matters of defending Westeros as a whole and…if…they…”
Jaime trailed off, suddenly aware of a sensation between his legs. He looked down to discover Brienne’s bare foot in his lap, slowly rubbing him up and down through his trousers. Nothing moved except his eyes, as he brought them back up to look at her. She had an innocent grin on her face, but her eyes said something very different.
“Do go on,” she teased.
Jaime lazily lifted his right leg and draped it over the arm of his chair while letting the left leg fall open the other way.
“Is that better?” He asked her huskily. She nodded, still grinning like a maiden.
“Oh yes, much better,” her voice was low like his.
“You wanton wench,” he stuck his bottom jaw out again. She laughed out loud.
“Now there’s a name I haven’t heard you use in quite a long time.”
“I only save it for special occasions now,” he raised the corner of his mouth and began to push his hips slowly against her foot.
There was a knock on the door again.
Jaime gritted his teeth and uttered more curses under his breath.
“I swear I’m going to murder that girl before this night is over.”
Brienne giggled. “Stay, I’ll get it this time.”
“Good idea. I think answering the door with a raging cockstand would scare her out of her wits,” Jaime said, adjusting the tails of his shirt so they covered his crotch.
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Dinner and the berry tarts having properly been consumed, Jaime now sat in the newly reheated water of the bathtub. His head was tilted back and his eyes were closed as Brienne gently washed his hair and scrubbed his beard. He sighed contentedly.
“It’s no wonder Tyrion says I’m more of a pampered lazy house cat than a lion these days,” he said, snickering.
“Yes, well, you do purr ever so wonderfully when stroked in just the right way,” Brienne replied. Jaime cracked open an eye to look up at her. “And when I manage to hit the right spot I can even get you to arch your back for me as well,” she continued. “So yes, I suppose in some ways you are a cat,” she stifled a laugh as Jaime set his mouth in a firm line.
She grabbed the small pitcher beside the tub and dunked it into the water. Placing a finger under his jaw, she gently tipped his head back and pinched his nose shut.
“Keep your mouth closed for a moment.”
Miraculously he obeyed as she poured water over his face, rinsing the soap out of his beard. Once that was finished she did the same to his hair. Jaime ran his hands over his face and through his hair, scattering droplets all around him. Brienne reached for the towel she had been in earlier and waited as he hauled himself to his feet and stepped out onto the furs on the floor.
She started with his head and rubbed the towel vigorously over his hair so that the spiky tips stuck out in all directions. She moved to his face and dried his beard off as well, stopping to kiss him tenderly as she eventually put the towel around his shoulders. Another breeze blew through the room as Brienne took Jaime’s hand and led him outside onto their patio that overlooked King’s Landing.
It was well past dark now, and the torchlight blazed all around the city. Brienne smiled as the wind ruffled her hair.
“I love this time of evening,” she said. “One could almost forget this city was all but destroyed not so long ago.”
Securing the towel around his waist, Jaime pressed himself against her back and wrapped his arms around her, slipping his hand inside her robe to absentmindedly stroke her stomach. He laid his cheek against the back of her shoulder, taking in the warmth she provided. Brienne held his stump in her right hand, lightly rubbing it with her thumb. Looking out over Blackwater Bay, Jaime squinted his eyes, noticing lightning on the horizon.
“Storm coming in it looks like,” he said.
“Growing up in this region, spring storms happened all the time,” Brienne replied. “I remember my father used to get so cross with me because I would always run out to the lighthouse whenever a good storm was coming in. The lighthouse keeper would always let me think I was helping him carry out his duties,” she giggled. “I felt so important.”
Jaime smiled as he imagined her as a young girl, all arms and legs, blonde hair whipping in the wind, her blue eyes wide with excitement for something so common as a thunderstorm. How free she must have looked.
Another round of lightning spread out across the sky above the bay followed by low rumblings. The wind picked up even more, making Jaime shiver and squeeze Brienne tighter. He began grunting and shaking out his stump. Brienne guessed it must be bothering him like it always did before a storm.
“Aching again?” she asked him.
“Yes,” he answered her, taking in a hissing breath through clenched teeth. She took his stump in her hand again and began lightly massaging it with her thumb, applying gentle pressure. She felt him relax a little against her back. She turned in his arms to face him, switching his stump to her left hand and continuing her ministrations.
“I think we still have some of the liniment that Sam made up for you,” she said, cupping his cheek in her other hand. Jaime simply nodded. Brienne placed a soft kiss on his forehead. He smiled and closed his eyes, leaning into her, but she could tell he was hurting.
“Come, love, let’s get you fixed up,” Brienne said, leading him back inside. Depositing Jaime on their bed, she walked to the small cupboard behind their dining table and started rummaging through it.
“Ah hah!” she cried triumphantly, spinning around to show him the small glass jar. He smiled at her beaming face. Grabbing a clean linen bandage and a thin leather binding, she went to sit next to him on the bed. Laying his stump in her lap, she rubbed it with both of her hands this time, long strokes up his forearm with her thumbs, working his muscles loose. Jaime closed his eyes and sighed in relief.
“Thank you, love,” he breathed. She opened the jar and scraped out two fingers’ full of the ointment. Laying the jar aside with her other hand, she began to work the gooey substance into his skin. Jaime wrinkled his nose at the powerful smell of eucalyptus, mint, and whatever else Samwell Tarly had put in there. All he knew was that the calming heat it generated as Brienne rubbed it into his aching arm made him feel a hundred times better.
Once she was finished, she gently wrapped his stump in the linen cloth and secured it to his wrist with the leather strap.
“Better?”
“Oh yes, much.”
Brienne slid to the floor to kneel in front of him, taking his left foot and setting it in her lap.
“May as well do the leg too since we’re here,” she smiled and looked up at him.
Jaime’s left leg had been badly broken and partially crushed when the Red Keep had fallen on him and Cersei. He had finally reached the point where he no longer needed the cane to walk, but he would always have a slight limp and changes in the weather would give him pain and cramping for the rest of his life. Cersei, of course, had paid the higher price.
Brienne massaged more ointment into his calf and his knee, tracing his jagged scars with her fingertips. She shuddered at the memories of what his leg had looked like when they pulled him out of the Red Keep. Twisted, broken, and bleeding, she had had her doubts at the time as to whether or not he would ever walk again, but the maesters had worked their magic, with Samwell having never left Jaime’s side throughout the entire ordeal.
She finished with his leg and set his foot on the floor again. Looking up, she noticed Jaime was half asleep and swaying, trying to remain upright. Brienne stood up and gently stroked his cheek. He closed his eyes and smiled, leaning into her hand. Reaching to pull back the bed coverings, she motioned to his pillow.
“In,” she playfully demanded. He crawled into his spot, which Brienne had long ago traded her side of the bed for his, as Jaime liked to be able to turn to her and touch her with his good hand. Removing the towel from around his waist, he slid under the covers, sighing contentedly and stretching out onto his back, waiting for her.
Brienne would send for the servants in the morning to remove the bathwater, not wanting to deal with it now. Putting Jaime’s ointment back into the cabinet, she laid the towel on the back of one of the dining chairs and went to close the doors to their patio. The thunder was close now, and it began to rain.
“Leave the windows open,” Jaime sleepily called to her from the bed. They both liked having the windows open whenever it rained, the sound lulling them into slumber. There was enough of an overhang above the windows outside that there was no real danger of water coming in the room. The winds picked up, stirring the sheer curtains around Brienne. Discarding her robe onto the chair in the corner by their wardrobe, she climbed into bed next to her drowsy husband.
Jaime didn’t give her much time to settle before he rolled over and pulled her to him. Brienne laid on her back and let him adjust himself as he pleased. Jaime lazily slid his left leg over hers and of course his left hand went immediately to her belly, his right arm stretched out under her pillow. Pressing himself as tightly against her as he could, he nuzzled his face into her neck, placing soft sleepy kisses behind her ear as Brienne pulled the covers up over them. Jaime lifted his head briefly.
“Good night, little bean,” he said to their child. He put his face back into the curls of Brienne’s hair and settled his nose back behind her ear.
“Good night, my love.”
Brienne laid her right hand over his left where it rested on her stomach, lazily drawing patterns on the back of his hand. Her left hand rested on his hip. Jaime made soft, low noises in his throat. Brienne giggled.
“See, you do purr.”
