Chapter Text
The hood was suffocating her. It kept sticking on her sweaty skin, and she could taste dust and hairs coming from it on her tongue. The feeling was nauseating, and she did her best not to puke as she was dragged around by the guards toward an unknown destination. Her legs were sore from the beating, but her captors seemed restless, and she just wished it would be all over soon. Finally, they came to a stop, and she heard the sound of a lock bolt opening, and she was pushed forward once again; she felt the ground changing under her feet, hearing the cracking of straw at every step they made her take. Someone took the hood away from her, and she could finally see, but she was welcomed with the blinding light of a torch hold a few inches from her face.
“Gods, I was told she was ugly but… not homely enough to curdle milk!” The guards burst out laughing, and their braying echoed in the dark room. Brienne frowned, trying to avoid the direct burning of the flame, but the guard holding it grabbed her chin with his other hand, forcing her to look at him.
“Afraid of these big boys? Don’t worry, they don’t bite…if you play nice we will be nice too…” He was a young man, with brown hair and a light stubble covering his cheeks, and he could be considered good-looking, if his mouth wasn’t twisted in a disgusting grin, showing his yellow teeth while he was licking his lips suggestively.
He took a step in her direction, leaning in, but all he received in return was a spit in his left eye.
“YOU CUNT!” He swore, hitting her with the torch, and Brienne collapsed on the ground, yelling from the burning on her temple and cursing the rope that was binding her hands behind her back. The man was not satisfied though, and he kicked her on her stomach, making her curl on herself.
“Good job, man… you do have a way with women, ah?” The others guards laughed.
“Shut up, fuckers!”
“Come on, let’s finish this and get out, we don’t have time for this…”
Brienne felt herself being lifted up, and then tossed to the nearest wall where they replaced the rope binding her hands with some manacles chained to the stone.
“You’ll pay for this, trust me…” the man growled in her ear while he was locking the manacle, and then the guards left the room, closing the door behind them and leaving her alone.
The burning on her head was so painful, and she rubbed her temple, winching: at least her hair hadn’t caught fire. She looked around her, but it was almost completely dark, except from the light of some torches coming from the corridor outside the door.
So these are the Red Keep cells, she thought.
So many questions swirled in her pumping head, but for the first time in so many years she felt she had no strength to fight back: Podrick was dead.
Her sweet, brave squire was hanging like a ham in the middle of an insignificant bush in King’s Landing, used as a bait for her. His dreams of knighthood and bravery were over. No songs would be sung for him, no one would weep for him…except for her.
She let out a sob, cursing herself for letting him alone, and cursing the Gods for keep letting these things happen to good people: she was starting to think they enjoyed watching them suffer from above.
“Cryin’ already?”
The voice startled her, and she snapped her head up, scanning the darkness, afraid.
“Right over here, love.”
She looked in front of her, and now she could see the shape of a man sitting in a corner, avoiding the feeble light in the room. When she tried to look better, he stood slowly, and walked till she recognised his face.
“I was rather shocked when I heard about it….you’re no easy to capture. I had to see it with my own eyes.” Ser Bronn of the Blackwater was now leaning on a column in the middle of the room, scanning her from the tip of her boots to the dark patch of blood on the right side of her face.
“Next time, I suggest you not to fight back…they won’t stop to some beating. It’s only a matter of time till Ser Allork will try to shove his cock down your throat…he likes to welcome female captives as soon as possible.”
Brienne grimaced, continuing to look at him in silence.
“Oh, am I too crude to you, my lady? Should I speak more properly in front of a highborn woman? I thought you were used to men…but what do I know, do I?”
He chuckled, looking at the door.
“Well, like I said, I wanted to see how they treated you, so I decided to sneak in the cells before they brought you here…and I must say, I didn’t expect her to come to this extent. I heard about those kind of monster you people brought down here, so I thought her priorities had changed, at least for the time being.”
He sneered, looking back at her “But, well, I guess for a jealous woman defending her property must be the most important thing.”
Brienne frowned, confused by his words, but she still didn’t speak.
“Yeah, I was told you were not the talkative type…so, how did they manage to capture you? I thought you were well away with Podrick Magic Cock Payne!”
At the mention of Podrick’s name, Brienne’s heart clenched, and she did her best to suffocate another sob tightening at her throat. She inhaled deeply, and then looked back at Bronn.
“Why was he alone?”
Bronn raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”
“Why was Podrick alone? You were with him, and I thought you were hanging out somewhere together…”
“We were, but then he told me he had to get back to you. We said goodbye and that was it…why are you asking? Where is he? Did he escape…”
“He’s dead.” She growled, looking straight into his eyes.
Bronn’s jaw dropped, and Brienne felt an absurd feeling of pleasure at the idea of having left him speechless.
“Dead? How…”
“They hanged him. They used him as a bait to set a trap for me.”
Bronn blinked rapidly, his mouth a thin line. “I’m sorry to hear that…he was a good lad.”
“You’re sorry? Is that all you have to say?” She barked, standing up.
“What else should I say?”
“You’re the commander of the City Watch! Don’t tell me you didn’t know what was going to happen… Podrick wasn’t that naïve to be captured that easily. But somehow he trusted you, he told me several times…who tells me you are not behind this? That you are not following the Queen’s orders?”
The former sellsword huffed, amused, and that made Brienne’s blood boil even more. “Well, for starters, I am indeed the commander of the City Watch…but I believe you were captured by men of the Queensguard. I’m not in charge of them…” He said, looking at her suggestively.
Brienne’s heart skipped a beat. Jaime. He is the Lord Commander of the Queensguard.
No, no…it can’t be. He would never hurt Podrick. He gave him to me…
“What are you trying to say…?” Brienne stammered.
“I’m not saying anything. You did all by yourself. Believe what you want, I am not behind this.” Bronn sighed, approaching the door to leave the room.
“Where’s Jaime?” Brienne asked, her voice trembling.
“Don’t know…I haven’t seen him in hours.”
“There’s a lot of things you don’t know…” Brienne observed, not being able to hide her mocking tone.
“Gosh, woman, I preferred you when you were silent. He must like women bossing him around..” Bronn said exasperated. Brienne frowned, not understanding, but she needed answers, and this strange, unpleasant man was the only connection she could hold on to.
“I just want to know why am I here….why all of this happened.”
“I’m afraid you’ll have to ask the Queen herself.” He chuckled.
“I’ll put my sword through her heart the moment I see her again.”
“Careful, woman… I told you, you’ll be wise to behave while you’re here, for you own sake.”
“I don’t care to be wise. She committed murder against a guest, just like he father did with Lady Catelyn and her son. We were protected by the truce, but she decided to ignore it and killed an innocent boy for her dirty games…she is a sinner in front of all the Gods.” Brienne snarled, while her chains trembled under the tension of her body.
Bronn observed her, and Brienne could swear he had the shadow of a proud smile on his lips.
“Well, those are bold words, but the truth is you’re down here, in chains, and weaponless. If she wanted you here, I’m sure she has some delightful plans for you.”
Brienne stared at him, and a very familiar feeling started to embrace her chest, one she hadn’t felt since she had executed Stannis Baratheon.
“I have too.”