The Bear
i'm no maiden fair, no, you would be the bear
Brienne lay before the campfire, her eyes starting to close after yet another long day of hauling her prisoner through the forest. When she had initially accepted the task she had expected it to be physically challenging, but nothing could have prepared for the mental challenge that her prisoner provided. Jaime Lannister loved to talk and Brienne hated to listen. She couldn’t decide if he would not be quiet because he loved the sound of his voice or if it was because he enjoyed sending sarcastic comments her way. She was on the verge of sleeping when Jaime broke the peaceful silence of the night.
“Why do you rebel against what a normal lady should be doing? Are you trying to prove that women are better than men? Are you trying to be a man instead?”
“I don’t have a reason,” Brienne growled, keeping her eyes shut in hope that her response was sufficient and he would be quiet.
“Sure you do. Everyone has a reason behind their actions,” Jaime said and she opened her eyes to glare at the Kingslayer.
“Well I don’t have a justification for being a fighter. It’s just who I am,” Brienne insisted before frowning at the unexpectedly downcast expression on Jaime’s face. “Why are you a warrior?” His eyes diverted away from her soft questioning gaze and his jaw locked with frustration.
“I had no choice,” Jaime muttered, his sudden lack of enthusiasm to continue the conversation giving Brienne hope that she would finally get some rest. As her eyes fluttered shut, humming slowly rose above the crackling of the fire and she sighed. As Jaime cheerily sung the tune to The Bear and the Maiden Fair, Brienne clenched her fists to calm her rage until she could no longer contain it.
“Could you please be quiet?” she ordered through gritted teeth and Jaime immediately stopped.
“I thought you would have liked that song,” Jaime shrugged.
“Why?” Brienne was genuinely curious, crinkling her nose with confusion.
“It talks about you.”
“I’m no maiden fair,” she spat, not appreciating yet another mocking jab at her appearance.
“No, you would be the bear,” Jaime replied and Brienne was shocked into silence, surprised that a man was finally saying the truth about her appearance instead of delivering sarcastic compliments about her beauty. Jaime too fell into a hushed state, unable to read Brienne’s blank expression and wondering if he had truly offended her despite using what he thought was a clearly joking tone.
“Well, your hair is like honey. I guess that would make us the bear and the maiden fair,” Brienne said with a smirk. Instead of becoming insulted by the comment, Jaime dramatically flicked his long hair from his face.
“You have to admit, my hair is rather dashing. I believe it’s what the women think is most attractive about me,” he ranted, prepared to continue having fun now that Brienne was finally joining in and brightening the mood.
“Do you know what would be even more attractive?”
“What?”
“Knowing when to stop talking,” Brienne finished and Jaime immediately opened his mouth to respond, but he hesitated. A knowing grin crept across his lips and he allowed Brienne to fall into her much needed sleep.
“Why do you rebel against what a normal lady should be doing? Are you trying to prove that women are better than men? Are you trying to be a man instead?”
“I don’t have a reason,” Brienne growled, keeping her eyes shut in hope that her response was sufficient and he would be quiet.
“Sure you do. Everyone has a reason behind their actions,” Jaime said and she opened her eyes to glare at the Kingslayer.
“Well I don’t have a justification for being a fighter. It’s just who I am,” Brienne insisted before frowning at the unexpectedly downcast expression on Jaime’s face. “Why are you a warrior?” His eyes diverted away from her soft questioning gaze and his jaw locked with frustration.
“I had no choice,” Jaime muttered, his sudden lack of enthusiasm to continue the conversation giving Brienne hope that she would finally get some rest. As her eyes fluttered shut, humming slowly rose above the crackling of the fire and she sighed. As Jaime cheerily sung the tune to The Bear and the Maiden Fair, Brienne clenched her fists to calm her rage until she could no longer contain it.
“Could you please be quiet?” she ordered through gritted teeth and Jaime immediately stopped.
“I thought you would have liked that song,” Jaime shrugged.
“Why?” Brienne was genuinely curious, crinkling her nose with confusion.
“It talks about you.”
“I’m no maiden fair,” she spat, not appreciating yet another mocking jab at her appearance.
“No, you would be the bear,” Jaime replied and Brienne was shocked into silence, surprised that a man was finally saying the truth about her appearance instead of delivering sarcastic compliments about her beauty. Jaime too fell into a hushed state, unable to read Brienne’s blank expression and wondering if he had truly offended her despite using what he thought was a clearly joking tone.
“Well, your hair is like honey. I guess that would make us the bear and the maiden fair,” Brienne said with a smirk. Instead of becoming insulted by the comment, Jaime dramatically flicked his long hair from his face.
“You have to admit, my hair is rather dashing. I believe it’s what the women think is most attractive about me,” he ranted, prepared to continue having fun now that Brienne was finally joining in and brightening the mood.
“Do you know what would be even more attractive?”
“What?”
“Knowing when to stop talking,” Brienne finished and Jaime immediately opened his mouth to respond, but he hesitated. A knowing grin crept across his lips and he allowed Brienne to fall into her much needed sleep.