CHAPTER 19 | THE BEAR AND THE MAIDEN FAIR

JAIME'S eyes blinked in shock. "These men have been at war a long time," Qyburn had just said. "Most of them will be dead by winter. The women will be their entertainment tonight. Beyond tonight, I don't think they care very much." Jaime didn't think it to be true, because what entertainment could they serve other than the obvious? Brienne and Laila wouldn't willingly let themselves be entertainment, and thus, tonight would end in their deaths.

He looked to the edge of the mountains they were traveling on, allowing his mind to become lost. Gods, what had he done? He needed to go back to Harrenhal. He had to somehow convince the Bolton men better to have Brienne and Laila return to King's Landing with him. He had to ... for his promise.

Jaime stumbled over to Steelshanks, who was enjoying whatever was in his jug. "We have to return to Harrenhal."

Steelshanks lowered the jug, glancing at Jaime with suspicion. He wiped the alcohol off his mouth sloppily with the back of his hand. "Why?"

"I've left something behind."

"Absolutely not," he was quick to reply. "I've got orders from Lord Bolton."

Jaime's face twisted. He asked, "And what are those orders?"

"To deliver you –" Steelshanks pointed to Jaime "– to your father at King's Landing."

Jaime cocked his head to the side in interest. "You think you'll get a reward."

Steelshanks stood up with a sigh, looking down at Jaime, who was a few inches shorter. "I serve Lord Bolton. Any appreciation your father –"

"You think you're getting a reward," Jaime repeated, to which Steelshanks lifted his head. "Let me explain something to you. When my father sees me, the first thing he's going to ask is what happened to my hand, and I'm going to tell him this man chopped it off."

Steelshanks shook his head. "I had nothing –"

"Or I could tell him, this man saved my life." Jaime added with a quirked brow. He nodded his head. "We return to Harrenhal now."

Steelshanks rolled his eyes before ordering the troops of the new plan. As crows cawed in the distance of the mountain, Jaime and company began their journey back to Harrenhal.

•••

It had been Locke's idea to throw Brienne and Laila in a gladiatorial pit, giving them only a wooden sword to defend themselves. They were both physically thrust into the pit through an old wooden door, and they were welcomed with the sight of a large brown bear waiting for them inside.

The men sang as they watched the women recoil in fear at the bear approaching them. "The bear, the bear and the maiden fair!" They sang. "From there to here, from here to there! All black and brown and covered in hair! He smelled that girl in the summer air! The bear, the bear, and the maiden fair!"

The bear lunged at Brienne first, scratching his claw across her collarbone. Brienne jumped back, causing Laila to slip and fall into the mud. The bear went forward towards her, and Laila tried her best to stand. She backed away on her hands in knees with no weapon, until Brienne stood in front of her with the wooden sword. Brienne growled towards the bear, shoving the sword in it's direction, making the bear angry.

Laila screamed, feeling the tears prick her eyes. Just as Brienne moved away from the bear, it lashed it's claws out, tearing the skirt of Laila's dress and then making a wound on her forehead. Laila felt the blood seep out the top of her head, mixing with the mud all over her, and she screamed yet again.

"Well, this is one shameful, fucking performance!" Locke yelled from above. The men continued to cheer. "Stop running and fight!"

Brienne huffed heavily, while Laila finally stood up and hovered behind the lady knight. Laila swallowed hard before asking, "What do we do? What's our plan?"

"Not die," Brienne whispered.

The bear growled, jumping forward, but the pair dodged it. "I don't think that's in our favor," Laila replied.

From above the pit, Jaime finally returned. He made his way up the staircase to the top of the pit, shoving the men beside him backwards. He looked down below, witnessing Laila and Brienne defending themselves against the largest bear he'd ever seen. His eyes went wide in horror. "A wooden sword?" He asked loudly.

Locke heard him from his right. He looked up at the Kingslayer and narrowed his eyes. "I thought you'd gone."

"You gave them a wooden sword!" Jaime shouted, pushing more men out of the way to get to Locke. He stared down at the smaller man with anger in his eyes.

"We've only got one bear!"

Jaime looked back at the pit, watching Laila fall face-first into the mud again. "I'll pay their bloody ransom," he said to Locke. "Gold, sapphires, whatever you want. Just get them out of there."

Locke frowned and rolled his eyes. "All you lords and ladies still think that the only thing that matters is gold." He forcefully picked up Jaime's stump. "This makes me happier than all your gold ever could." He then pointed to Brienne and Laila fighting in the pit. "And that makes me happier than all Tarth's sapphires. So go buy yourself a golden hand and fuck yourself with it!"

The bear then stood up on it's own two feet, causing Laila and Brienne to straighten their backs. Laila's eyes went wide as she screamed so loud her lungs began to hurt. Brienne struck her hands out with the sword to whack the bear, but it only captured the sword in it's claws. It then slashed her face, knocking her to the ground. Laila hovered in front of her, putting her hand out and thinking that would somewhat halt the bear. It slashed Laila's hand too, making her yelp in pain and agony.

With both women on the ground, Jaime Lannister did what he never thought he could: he jumped inside the pit. He looked up at the bear, swallowing his pride. "Get behind me," he ordered Brienne and Laila.

Laila looked up, getting on her hands and knees to stand but kept slipping in the mud. She fell down again, and then was given a hand by Jaime. She grabbed his only hand. He helped her on her own two feet as Brienne replied, "I will not!"

Jaime pushed the lady knight behind him anyways. Laila clutched onto Brienne tightly as the bear readied his stance in front of Jaime. It began to slowly approach Jaime, and the three moved backwards. The bear was going to strike, and then – out of nowhere – an arrow was shot into the bear's neck.

"What the fuck are you doing to my bear?!" Locke yelled from above.

Steelshanks readied another arrow in his crossbow as he replied, "Lord Bolton charged me with bringing him back to King's Landing alive and that's what I aim to do."

The bear wiggled his heads around, and while it was distracted, Jaime went over to the pit's wall. "Pull them up!" He shouted to Steelshanks and crouched low. Brienne hopped on his back and was successfully brought up. The bear growled from behind as Laila hurriedly jumped on Jaime's back. Steelshanks got a tight hold on her arms and hauled her up, and she held onto the strange man in fear of the others.

"Hold my legs!" Brienne shouted as she reached over the edge of the pit. The bear growled and started to sprint forward to Jaime, while he jumped up and gripped Brienne's arms. He struggled with pulling himself upward, his legs dangling with the bear right below them. The bear's growl shook the entire pit as it tried clawing its way up the wall. He only had one working hand, and with that, his used his whole upper body strength to pull himself onto the edge of the pit with Brienne's hands.

Jaime rolled himself onto the deck, exhaling heavily through his mouth. Brienne wiped the end of her nose and stood. Laila approached Jaime and helped him stand, but he found it hard to look at her with the blood falling down the side of her face. Laila locked her arms around both Jaime and Brienne, staring at Locke defiantly as he approached them.

"The bitches stay," Locke ordered.

Jaime narrowed his eyes. "We're taking them both to King's Landing," he quipped, "unless you kill me."

Locke replied, "The women belong to me. Lord Bolton's orders."

"What do you think is more important to Lord Bolton?" Jaime asked, taking a step closer. "Getting his pet rat a reward or ensuring Tywin Lannister gets his son back alive?"

Locke frowned and looked away. The men behind him grabbed the hilt of their swords, as did the men with Jaime. The silence made Laila shudder.

Locke's hand suddenly fell from his sword, and he took a step back. Jaime took that as a sign that they were allowed to leave. He nodded toward Locke. "Well, we must be on our way," he said.

Laila nodded. Jaime led the three out of the pit's deck, followed by Bolton banner men. "Sorry about the sapphires," Jaime added to Locke as he left.

The bear growled one last time.