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"I'm ready," she hears Jaime's voice and turns around to see him coming into the stables. He is in his red doublet, with sun playing in his hair. Beautiful as always.
He smiles at her, light and carefree, as he has every right to be now.
Brienne can't help but smile too, although it is more tense. She nods and takes the reins of her horse, silently urging Jaime to do the same.
It was her sudden impulse to arrange this little adventure for them. She just asked him if he wants to see one of her favorite places on Tarth and he immediately agreed.
She wants to show him another part of herself, but it's for her as well. Brienne needs to remember that part of herself too.
They have been married for two weeks now. A month has passed since she returned to the island with Jaime after the Long Night.
And it's suddenly difficult to live in peace.
Brienne was used to the idea that she could die at any moment. That Jaime could die at any moment. That she would never see her home and her father.
Now she is at home with her Jaime, and her father is still alive and they are all on Tarth. It's everything she ever wanted, and it's much more than she expected, and she is confused and overwhelmed.
They went out the gate and saddled their horses.
"How long will it take?" Jaime asks as they move away from the castle towards the forest.
"We'll be there by sunset, I hope," Brienne bites her lip and frowns slightly, "It's been a long time since I was there last."
"Well then," Honor, Jaime's horse, snorted with his words, "lead the way, my Evenstar. I'll be right behind you."
She feels a smile tugging the corners of her lips, "I'm not Evenstar."
"Future Evenstar, then," Jaime's eyes glint mischievously, "You are my guiding star anyway."
Brienne's cheeks flush and she knows it's the reaction Jaime intended to get. He laughs and comes closer to her, reaches out to kiss her hot cheek. She smiles silly; she can't help it. But Brienne knows now Jaime doesn't care if she looks ridiculous. He loves her anyway.
"Let's go," she is shy, pulls the reins, still somehow conscious to show her affection the way Jaime does, "I'm not sure I remember the road right."
The last time she was near the ruins of Morn was before she joined Renly's army. She didn't know what awaited her and wanted to see the place her mother loved to feel closer to her in some way before she left her home.
Brienne has never been there with her, was too small when she died, but her father showed her the place.
It was Selwyn who reminded her about the cliff. Offered to visit it with Jaime.
She seized on this opportunity to be alone with him and away from other people. She is so used to them being always together, to the days of wandering and sleeping on the cold ground, so now she feels out of place sleeping in their chambers, on the bed and being the heiress of the island again.
Jaime seems to be more comfortable with a peaceful life. It makes sense, she thinks. Jaime deserves life without war.
Brienne deserves it too, she just can't quite fit yet.
"We are going to Morne, right?" Jaime's voice pulled her out of her thoughts.
"The ruins of Morne, yes." She is silent for a moment. "The best place to see the sunrise."
"That very Morne from the legend? Galladon of Morne?" Brienne turns to look at him, a glint of amusement in his eyes.
She told him the legend once, the day as similar as any other cold day, when the only thing that helped them keep warm and hopeful was each other's arms. She smiles thinking about Jaime's head on her laps while she runs her fingers through his hair and tells him about the knight so brave that the Maiden herself gave him a magic sword.
Jaime smiled then, sly wrinkles in the corners of his eyes, and said that the story reminded him of something. Brienne frowned and he laughed and turned his head to kiss her palm and waved his hand towards the Oathkeeper.
She called him a fool but touched his lips with hers. "I'm not a knight," she whispered.
"But you are brave and I gave you a sword."
"You are Maiden, then?" she joked quietly but his face suddenly became wistful and sad and she kissed him again.
The love for this man filled her chest that cold winter; it fills her now not at all less.
"Yes," she says, "that very Morne from the legend."
Jaime grins and asks how long they still have to go. If Brienne remembers right, they should soon reach an old pine, broken by a thunderstorm. The path then goes uphill, and leads them straight to the old castle on the cliff.
As they slowly make their way through the woods, Brienne cannot help but think how much she missed her home island. As if she can breathe much easier here than on the mainland. The surroundings seem much more beautiful then she remembers.
She missed the quiet sounds of the sea and missed the most breathtaking sunsets she could see through the windows of her childhood chambers.
Sometimes she wishes she never left but then she looks at the man beside and thinks that everything is as it should be.
After the war she didn't hope Jaime would stay with her; but he kissed her and said he wants to marry her, and be her husband, or if she doesn't want him as a husband, he would follow her anyway and anywhere because he doesn't want to live without his wench, and she kissed him and called him a fool, and they left the ruined kingdoms having no desire to see into who should take the Iron Throne.
She took him to Tarth and showed the most beautiful sunsets.
Now she wants to show him the most beautiful sunrise too.
As she has predicted, they get to Morne when dusk is already down. They dismount and leave their horses at the edge of the forest. They will walk the rest of the way to the ruins.
Brienne hesitates, but takes Jaime's hand. He smiles and together they go to the place where they will meet the new day.
It is not a long walk and soon they reach the ruined walls of the old castle.
"Have you been here often?" Jaime asks while they light a fire.
"No, not really," Brienne doesn't look at him, busy with their bags, "I was here with dad several times," she swallows, "after Galladon's death."
Jaime catches her hand and places a light kiss on her knuckles.
The corners of her lips rise slightly and she looks at him with gratitude.
"Mother loved this place. He told me, after their wedding he brought her here to break the ice, as he said." Now her smile is wistful. "Even though they had to spend the night here, the morning was worth it."
"Well, it is not the first time for us to spend the night under the open sky. And my ice has been melted for a long time." They arrange themselves at one of the remaining walls, Jaime sits leaning on the stone, Brienne in his arms.
"I know," she seems to relax finally, her voice is light and sweet, "I just wanted to show you that. And to be alone with you."
Jaime hums, his stump is around her waist and left hand holds hers, thumb strokes calloused skin.
"Everything is going to be alright," Brienne lifts her head off his shoulder to look him in the face, "Yes, I see how you struggle. But you already fit. You don't see it, or can't see, but your father is proud of you. And he loves you. And he is not alone. People here are lucky to have you as their lady."
She looks at him with her big innocent eyes. Her eyes are far from sapphires, because no sapphire can be as beautiful.
"I'm lucky too," he kisses the tip of her nose and hugs her tighter.
The night is quiet around them, the stars twinkle over their heads. The sound of the waves below and the crackle of a fire next to them create their own lullaby.
"It's difficult somehow to be here again. I'm so used to war."
"You'll manage. You are the strongest person I know. And you have me."
"I have you," she kisses him to thank him, to tell him she loves him, "We'll manage."
They fall asleep and with the first rays of the sun Brienne wakes him up. The sky is slowly turning lilac, pink, orange, and she looks at it with awe and some kind of childish delight.
"It's so beautiful," she says and, "It is," Jaime responds and when she glances at him he looks at her, not at the sky.
Brienne blushes, shy again, and kisses him in the rays of the rising sun.