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I find you in the Great Room, staring. You were always running around, causing trouble. It was a miracle that you would stay still for a few seconds before you would run off to your next adventure.
You slowly walk up until your fingers touch the lion’s head. I know that you would never dare touch Oathkeeper. It was the one item that made you stop and stare, silently admiring it.
“Be careful, Serena.” I say.
“Yes, mother I will.” Your fingers linger on the lion’s head that has lost some of its luster. I don’t wear it anymore for it is of no use now. “Father gave you this sword to find Lady Sansa.”
“He did.”
“The best gift he gave to you.”
“Not at all. The best gift he gave to me was you.” We both look at the unlikely gift your father gave to me. The first time I held it in my hands, I marveled at it, feeling unworthy of holding it. But he insisted, saying that it was mine. To use it fulfill my oath to find Sansa and Ayra. With christening the sword as Oathkeeper, I rode off to fulfill that sacred oath. Later on, I unhooked my belt, returning Oathkeeper to him. He sighed, probably thinking how stubborn I was. It’s yours. It will always be yours. The rare softness in his eyes almost made for my legs to go weak. Later on, as I glanced at him for what I thought would be the second and last time, I clutched the lion head, my lips trembling, wanting so much to speak. But he was much too far to hear me. Instead, he lifted his hand. I did the same.
“It’s a beautiful sword.” You whisper in awe. It isn’t the craftsmanship or how your father gave it to me. But of those words that he spoke inside the tent in Riverrun. The words that reminded me on how the future began for us.
I didn’t know what to except as the cell door opened. My eyes adjusted to the darkness, until seeing a figure sitting against the wall. If it wasn’t for the gold hand, I would have hardly recognized him. Word spread of his actions, killing the Queen as she was about to burn down all of King’s Landing. I would have expected to learn about his death. Either by his own hand or of Daenerys Targarian ordering his execution.
“Ser Jaime?” He looked up, the shell of a man that carried himself with pride. He was practically half dead. His eyes without any light, dull and indifferent.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
“To see you.”
“Well, here I am. Sadly, still alive. If I had my way, I would not have listened to Tyrion and sliced my own throat.” He looked down at his hand, a bitter laugh bubbling from his mouth. “Our new Queen is getting what she wants. The Throne and allowing me to rot.”
“I will not allow for that to happen.” I said firmly.
His haggard face twisted into a familiar sneer. “What use is it for you to do anything for me?”
“Why shouldn’t I? You’ve done so much for me. If you hadn’t stopped Cersei, she would have burned down all of King’s Landing. You saved countless lives. Not once, but twice.” He snorted, too weak to spit out any insult. I boldly kneeled down to his side, hold my hands on his rough cheeks. “Look at me.” He twisted his face away. But I held his face, forcing him to look. Even if all hope had disappeared from his eyes, they screamed with a piercing sorrow. Of wanting his misery and pain to end by any means. “Remember what I told you before? To live and fight. As for revenge, the best one is continuing to live. I know there is honor in you still.”
He turned his head away. His opened his mouth, but no words came out. Finally he spoke in a broken voice. “Why is it that you care so much?”
“Because I love you.” I said these words in a rush. I was dumbfounded, not believing that I said these words. I expected for him to reject me outright. To ruthlessly insult me for be so foolish. His only love was for Cersei, a twisted love that nearly robbed him of his life.
He was silent, his hand gripping the lion’s head of Oathkeeper. I almost had the illusion of him yanking the sword and stabbing himself. As he released his grip, he sighed heavily. It was either of defeat or relief. I held his hand in mine, thick and warm, holding his gaze. He wordlessly nodded his head, as if to acknowledge my words.
There were people who advocated for him. I said little as I pleaded my case for him, only saying that he had saved my life countless times. The Dragon Queen kept looking to me, in amazement on how a woman of honor could care for someone like Jaime Lannsiter.
When asked to say something, he said he wanted nothing nor deserved nothing. “All I really need…is her.” He looked towards me, with a smile in his eyes.
The Dragon Queen looked to the both of us, especially at me. “A pity. I could have used your services. But you made your choice.”
He spoke nothing as we left. He turned to Tyrion, whispering, “Farewell, little brother.” Jaime allowed for me to hold his arm to steady himself. He dared not look around him as we left King’s Landing for the final time.
We had our privacy on the ship. Sharing our first kiss, holding each other as tight as we could until my bones ached. He latched on to me, refusing to let go. It was in the open seas, where I saw the tears for the first time. They dribbled down his face, as did my own.
We both breathed each other’s names. A beautiful symphony that I never wanted to end.
“Jaime.” I whisper while in bed.
“Brienne.” He whispers back. I say his name again. He does the same. It is our little game, our echo.
I turn to him. He cradled his hand on my cheek, while his arm is wrapped around my neck. “Jaime.”
“Brienne.” He cuts himself off as he moves in for a kiss. After that long kiss, he rearranges the words he spoke at Riverrun.
“I’m yours. I will always be yours.”