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janie_tangerine"I think," Jaime says, "that there's no better time than the present."
"What do you mean?" Brienne asks, perplexed. Except for her, Jaime, Pod and Hyle no one is in the clearing, unless you count Lady Stoneheart's body and the one of the criminal who fought against Brienne when Jaime asked for a trial by battle. Jaime sounds cheerful enough and Brienne fails to see any reasons to be cheerful right now.
“Tell me, did Renly or whoever else ever knight you properly?"
Brienne thinks about it for a second - she had been given the cloak, and served in his guard, but no, he didn't unleash his sword or told her to swear her vows all over again. And no one else did, while she was serving him. Or after.
"No," she answers, and Jaime looks almost disappointed by that answer. For a second, because then he smiles and comes closer.
"I thought so. And I think you earned it. Hells, you earned it a long time ago, but if no one did it already, then I guess it will have to be me. May I have your sword for a moment? I think it's more suited than mine."
Brienne can hear Pod gasping behind her. But it doesn't matter right now - what matters now is that her heart is beating a lot faster than before and her fingers shake as she hands Jaime Oathkeeper.
"Are you - are you sure?"
"Why shouldn't I be?"
"I - I don't - I haven't really kept many of those oaths I held dear. Look at what happened here."
"You learned you can't keep them all, which will only help you later. Do you still want it?"
"Of course I do, but -"
"See? Only someone fit for knighthood would want it even if they know that songs are wrong. And it's not as if this is worth anything - I can only offer you a place in my army if I ever get it back, and you know I'm not Arthur Dayne. I'm not even sure of what I should make you say. But -"
"But what?"
"I'd be honored to knight you."
Brienne doesn't answer, her body unable to move. But then he smiles again and raises the sword.
"Brienne, will you kneel?"
She kneels. The blade touches her right shoulder and she feels it slightly trembling for a second.
"Brienne of Tarth," he starts, and then pauses for a second before clearing his throat. "Do you swear in the eyes of the gods and men to defend those who cannot defend themselves, protect all women and children, fight bravely and... well, to keep on doing exactly everything you've done until now, to your best and to the extent of your possibilities?"
"I do," she answers, trying to keep her voice from shaking. Jaime moves the sword to her left shoulder.
"Good. Do you also swear to obey your liege lord or lady, proven that they deserve that, and that you’ll know where to stop if they don't deserve your loyalty?"
Brienne can't help smiling at that - she shouldn't have expected less. She raises her head, looking him in the eyes. "I do," she answers, her voice sounding a lot more sure than before.
"And do you swear that you won't take too many oaths at once?"
"I do, my lord." She's smiling openly right now, and he's smiling back at her.
"Then raise again, and raise as..." he's obviously about to say ser, but something stops him. There's a second of embarrassed silence, and then Jaime lets out a sigh.
"It feels wrong to say ser," he blurts, looking almost embarrassed. "But I can't exactly say lady, can I?"
Brienne can't help it - as soon as she hears him sounding like that, she starts laughing. She hears Hyle snickering and Pod grumbling something about having had the same doubt for ages. When she's done, and when Jaime's done, too, she clears her throat.
"Maybe I don't need a title, after all. It's only words. The same as vows. The facts don't change them."
Jaime's eyes become almost fond at that, and then he clears his throat and obviously tries to regain enough dignity to finish the ceremony.
"Then raise as a knight. And take the sword - it belongs to you."
And then something changes.
Brienne has dreamed of being knighted since the day she first held a sword, and as unconventional as her ceremony was, she doesn't mind. After all, she always was unconventional - it only makes sense that the ceremony was the same. But as she rises, she feels that something has switched.
Her mail and breeches don't feel like clothes she wears because they don't make her look ridiculous anymore - they feel comfortable, as if she's born to wear them and no one can say the contrary. When Jaime hands her the sword, her hand doesn't look larger than a proper lady's should be, but exactly the right size to wield such a beautiful weapon. Her nose might have been broken one time too many but it doesn't matter much anymore - after all, it was breaking her nose so many times that brought her here, right? She doesn't smile openly as a general rule because she knows her teeth aren't much of a sight, but right now she can't stop himself and she isn't even thinking about it. As she straightens her back, Jaime is the only person she sees, and she doesn't have to look down on him, differently from the way it is with almost everyone she meets. He's smiling back at her still, as if he's delighted to see her so happy, and she realizes no one has ever looked at her like that. She realizes she hadn't felt this happy when she won her rainbow cloak, either. And for the first time in her life, she feels as if nothing's wrong with her. And as if everything she went through was worth it because it meant that she got here and earned her knighthood from someone who thought she really deserved it.
"Wench, if I had known this is what it took to make you smile like that, I'd have done it in King's Landing," he says, coming closer, and she doesn't shy away.
"I'm glad you did it now," she answers, and then she breathes in when his good hand reaches over and covers her cheek.
"It's a good look on you. You should do it more often."
Brienne doesn't really think about it when she leans forward and kisses him.
Six months ago, she wouldn't have dared - six months ago, she was dreaming with her eyes open about him letting her weep on his shoulder. Kissing him was something she only dreamed of when she was fast asleep. But now - now he's there and alive and she doesn't have to kill him, and he's looking at her as if he likes what he sees, and she has wanted him for a while, so why not? There's no reason why beautiful ladies should take what they want and she shouldn't, she sees it now, and when his hand reaches for the back of her head and his arm encircles her waist as he kisses back, she smiles into the kiss and doesn't move away until they're out of breath.
She can feel Pod and Hyle staring, but well, she'll let them stare. They'll come around soon enough.
"Seven hells, is something wrong with you?" Jaime asks, but he's obviously japing from the tone. "Not that I don't like this new attitude of yours."
"I merely realized a few things, ser. But I think I've never been better. I hope I haven't -"
"If I had known you'd have reacted like this, I'd have kissed you first," Jaime mutters before leaning forward and kissing her again. Brienne hears Hyle whistle. She also knows that Pod must be blushing crimson even if she has her back to him still. It's fine; she has everything she wants right now, and if for the first time in her life she doesn't feel like the odd one out, she won't be the one to complain.
End.
"What do you mean?" Brienne asks, perplexed. Except for her, Jaime, Pod and Hyle no one is in the clearing, unless you count Lady Stoneheart's body and the one of the criminal who fought against Brienne when Jaime asked for a trial by battle. Jaime sounds cheerful enough and Brienne fails to see any reasons to be cheerful right now.
“Tell me, did Renly or whoever else ever knight you properly?"
Brienne thinks about it for a second - she had been given the cloak, and served in his guard, but no, he didn't unleash his sword or told her to swear her vows all over again. And no one else did, while she was serving him. Or after.
"No," she answers, and Jaime looks almost disappointed by that answer. For a second, because then he smiles and comes closer.
"I thought so. And I think you earned it. Hells, you earned it a long time ago, but if no one did it already, then I guess it will have to be me. May I have your sword for a moment? I think it's more suited than mine."
Brienne can hear Pod gasping behind her. But it doesn't matter right now - what matters now is that her heart is beating a lot faster than before and her fingers shake as she hands Jaime Oathkeeper.
"Are you - are you sure?"
"Why shouldn't I be?"
"I - I don't - I haven't really kept many of those oaths I held dear. Look at what happened here."
"You learned you can't keep them all, which will only help you later. Do you still want it?"
"Of course I do, but -"
"See? Only someone fit for knighthood would want it even if they know that songs are wrong. And it's not as if this is worth anything - I can only offer you a place in my army if I ever get it back, and you know I'm not Arthur Dayne. I'm not even sure of what I should make you say. But -"
"But what?"
"I'd be honored to knight you."
Brienne doesn't answer, her body unable to move. But then he smiles again and raises the sword.
"Brienne, will you kneel?"
She kneels. The blade touches her right shoulder and she feels it slightly trembling for a second.
"Brienne of Tarth," he starts, and then pauses for a second before clearing his throat. "Do you swear in the eyes of the gods and men to defend those who cannot defend themselves, protect all women and children, fight bravely and... well, to keep on doing exactly everything you've done until now, to your best and to the extent of your possibilities?"
"I do," she answers, trying to keep her voice from shaking. Jaime moves the sword to her left shoulder.
"Good. Do you also swear to obey your liege lord or lady, proven that they deserve that, and that you’ll know where to stop if they don't deserve your loyalty?"
Brienne can't help smiling at that - she shouldn't have expected less. She raises her head, looking him in the eyes. "I do," she answers, her voice sounding a lot more sure than before.
"And do you swear that you won't take too many oaths at once?"
"I do, my lord." She's smiling openly right now, and he's smiling back at her.
"Then raise again, and raise as..." he's obviously about to say ser, but something stops him. There's a second of embarrassed silence, and then Jaime lets out a sigh.
"It feels wrong to say ser," he blurts, looking almost embarrassed. "But I can't exactly say lady, can I?"
Brienne can't help it - as soon as she hears him sounding like that, she starts laughing. She hears Hyle snickering and Pod grumbling something about having had the same doubt for ages. When she's done, and when Jaime's done, too, she clears her throat.
"Maybe I don't need a title, after all. It's only words. The same as vows. The facts don't change them."
Jaime's eyes become almost fond at that, and then he clears his throat and obviously tries to regain enough dignity to finish the ceremony.
"Then raise as a knight. And take the sword - it belongs to you."
And then something changes.
Brienne has dreamed of being knighted since the day she first held a sword, and as unconventional as her ceremony was, she doesn't mind. After all, she always was unconventional - it only makes sense that the ceremony was the same. But as she rises, she feels that something has switched.
Her mail and breeches don't feel like clothes she wears because they don't make her look ridiculous anymore - they feel comfortable, as if she's born to wear them and no one can say the contrary. When Jaime hands her the sword, her hand doesn't look larger than a proper lady's should be, but exactly the right size to wield such a beautiful weapon. Her nose might have been broken one time too many but it doesn't matter much anymore - after all, it was breaking her nose so many times that brought her here, right? She doesn't smile openly as a general rule because she knows her teeth aren't much of a sight, but right now she can't stop himself and she isn't even thinking about it. As she straightens her back, Jaime is the only person she sees, and she doesn't have to look down on him, differently from the way it is with almost everyone she meets. He's smiling back at her still, as if he's delighted to see her so happy, and she realizes no one has ever looked at her like that. She realizes she hadn't felt this happy when she won her rainbow cloak, either. And for the first time in her life, she feels as if nothing's wrong with her. And as if everything she went through was worth it because it meant that she got here and earned her knighthood from someone who thought she really deserved it.
"Wench, if I had known this is what it took to make you smile like that, I'd have done it in King's Landing," he says, coming closer, and she doesn't shy away.
"I'm glad you did it now," she answers, and then she breathes in when his good hand reaches over and covers her cheek.
"It's a good look on you. You should do it more often."
Brienne doesn't really think about it when she leans forward and kisses him.
Six months ago, she wouldn't have dared - six months ago, she was dreaming with her eyes open about him letting her weep on his shoulder. Kissing him was something she only dreamed of when she was fast asleep. But now - now he's there and alive and she doesn't have to kill him, and he's looking at her as if he likes what he sees, and she has wanted him for a while, so why not? There's no reason why beautiful ladies should take what they want and she shouldn't, she sees it now, and when his hand reaches for the back of her head and his arm encircles her waist as he kisses back, she smiles into the kiss and doesn't move away until they're out of breath.
She can feel Pod and Hyle staring, but well, she'll let them stare. They'll come around soon enough.
"Seven hells, is something wrong with you?" Jaime asks, but he's obviously japing from the tone. "Not that I don't like this new attitude of yours."
"I merely realized a few things, ser. But I think I've never been better. I hope I haven't -"
"If I had known you'd have reacted like this, I'd have kissed you first," Jaime mutters before leaning forward and kissing her again. Brienne hears Hyle whistle. She also knows that Pod must be blushing crimson even if she has her back to him still. It's fine; she has everything she wants right now, and if for the first time in her life she doesn't feel like the odd one out, she won't be the one to complain.
End.
