The Sapphire Dragon

Prologue

Winterfell is so cold; unlike Tarth, Brienne thought. deep down, she realised, she misses Tarth. the blueish green water that surrounds it, the thick green vegetation, the palace halls, her master-at-arms Lord Armistead, her family...her breath comes short. What are they doing now ? How is father doing ? Is she looking after him ? Or has she run away as before ? 

Brienne rubs her finger on her temples. The cold is not gentle on her. The worries make her head throb.Just then, a loud knock reverberates through her room.

'Come in', she says, sitting straight on her chair. no one must know that she is feeling ill. Strong as the winds of Tarth, she whispers to herself. Podrik enters the room, wearing his armour and his sword dangling by the side. he has been practising a lot. Good.

'The queen has called for a meeting, Lady Brienne'. he says. suddenly, regret flashes over his face. Brienne stares at him, her stare explaining everything.

 Do not call me lady.

'I am sorry, my lady- damn it, apologies again....' Podrik fumbles on his words nervously. 'Save it.' Brienne says gravely, rising up from her chair.She walks out of the room, with podrik following her.

The Winterfell castle is large, but not larger than the castle of Tarth. It holds the hostility within its walls, unlike of Tarth's, where even an enemy feels welcomed. The emerald green drapes and the grey walls are etched inside her eyelids, as if she can see it whenever she closes her eyes. She remembers running down the halls, after fighting with the boys at the stable, to her room up above, so that she can take take her club and dare them for a fight.

Brienne reaches the meeting hall,and she sees him.

The lion of Lannisters.

She stands at the door of the halls, looking at him,as though she is looking him for the last time.  He is sitting on one of the chairs which are laid parallel to another row, both at the two sides of the main table, occupied by Sansa Stark, the lady of Winterfell,Her Highness Daenerys Targaryn the mother of dragons, and Jon Snow,representing the blacks. His hair has grown long to his eyes, his beard short yet thick. He looks so tired, so depressed that she feels like running to him, give him a kiss and say everything will be alright. 

What is happening to me, she wonders. 

Love is, in fact, an intensification of life, a completeness, a fullness, a wholeness of life"

No truer words.Once upon a time, she laughed at these words and vowed that she would never fall in love. She still remembers the scent of the book, reading it while sitting on her father's lap.'But one day you will, my minx. and that will be the best feeling in the world.' He had said.She laughed more, teasing him for being a hopeless romantic.

Now she knows.

He is talking to his little brother Tyrion, whose Heterochromic eyes leave nothing in this universe; not even her.

Before Tyrion can inform Jaime that she has arrived, she walks to one of the seats opposite to the Lannisters, and sits. the comforting jab of the lion hilt of oathkeeper calms her a bit.The lannisters bows their head as a token of acknowledgment, and Brienne does the same and diverts her gaze. she could feel Jaime's stare burning her pale skin. 

'My apologies if i have delayed the council, my queen, it was not my intention.' Brienne says to Khaleesi, who nods curtly with a grave smile.'We know, lady of Tarth. No apologies required', she says.

'We are all gathered here to have a battle plan against the walkers beyond the great wall. We have to....'

Suddenly someone speaks. It is a voice of a wise man, yet the youthfulness betrays the knowledge he posess.

The blood of the dragon wrote the history, the fire of the dragon will write the future as well.

Bran Stark's words turn her blood to ice, something even the winds of Winterfell could not do.He looks at she, his stare opening the wraps of her secret, that she buried in herself years ago.

He knows about Andrea.

( thank you readers for spending your valuable time. it would be nice if there are small encouragements like commenting and voting. well wishers will have a special place in my heart. 

love, rie)