Harrenhal.
Roose Bolton and Jaime Lannister sat at a table in the hall of Harrenhal, while the squire Elmar Frey poured a cup of milk-wine for each of them.
Watching the dejected look on Elmar Frey, Jaime Lannister could not fathom what troubles a nine-year-old child could possibly have.
Having been treated by Qyburn, Jaime Lannister finally regained some strength today, but his face remained gaunt, and he could no longer find the high-spirited appearance of his youth.
"Ser Jaime, are you feeling better?" Roose Bolton's voice was very soft, requiring careful attention to hear clearly.
"If you are referring to my right hand, I can only say it is a pity that it has not grown back from my wrist," Jaime laughed self-deprecatingly.
Jaime Lannister had always had a poor impression of the people of the North, especially this soft-spoken fellow before him.
Jaime thought to himself, 'Luckily, it was my hand I lost and not my ear; otherwise, I fear I would not even be able to hear what Roose Bolton is saying.'
"Ser Jaime, as long as you can guarantee that you will no longer hold me responsible for the loss of your hand, I will send you back to King's Landing safe and sound," Roose Bolton said suddenly, sipping his wine.
Hearing this, Jaime Lannister raised an eyebrow, thinking: 'What is going on? Judging by Roose Bolton's meaning, it seems he has allied with my father, Lord Tywin?'
Jaime felt that during the time he had been imprisoned, he seemed to be out of touch with the world; some changes must have occurred in this world that he was unaware of.
With a blink of his eyes, he began to dissemble, and Jaime said: "Lord Bolton, this matter had nothing to do with you; it was entirely the good work of those traitors in the Brave Company. If you can send me back to King's Landing, I will certainly inform my father of your great achievements."
"Since that is the case, then it is easily handled." As he spoke, Roose Bolton clapped his hands, and immediately a tall man walked in.
"He is called Wothon, nicknamed Iron Legs, a soldier of steel-like loyalty. I will send him to lead a team to escort you back. What do you think?" Roose Bolton said.
Wothon was a captain of the guard under Roose Bolton. Because he always wore iron greaves on his long legs, he was known as 'Wothon Iron Legs.' He was straightforward, rough, and cruel, a soldier through and through.
Looking at Roose Bolton's strangely pale, emotionless eyes, Jaime did not know why he suddenly thought of the late Lord of Winterfell, Eddard Stark.
He remembered that Eddard Stark was just like this, difficult to fathom.
Jaime said: "Excellent, Lord Bolton."
Now Jaime Lannister understood completely; the rules of the game had changed. Roose Bolton was preparing to betray the little wolf of the North and turn to the West.
...
In front of the gate of Harrenhal.
Roose Bolton had already arranged the team to escort Jaime Lannister, with Wothon Iron Legs leading the group.
In addition, Roose Bolton ordered Qyburn to accompany the army to take care of Jaime Lannister's health.
"Lord Bolton, can I take Brienne of Tarth with me?" Jaime asked.
"Ser, I am afraid that is not possible; Brienne of Tarth is a war trophy of the Brave Company," Roose Bolton replied expressionlessly.
Hearing this, Jaime Lannister did not press for anything further.
"Ser Jaime, please convey my sincerest greetings to your father, Lord Tywin, on my behalf," Roose Bolton said to Jaime.
"I will, Lord Bolton. But please also convey my sincerest greetings to that little wolf of House Stark on my behalf," Jaime said.
"I will do as you wish," Roose Bolton nodded in acknowledgment.
At this moment, Jaime Lannister could no longer worry about Brienne of Tarth; he only wanted to return to King's Landing quickly to see Cersei.
...
On a small road in the Riverlands.
Wothon Iron Legs, acting on the orders of Lord Roose Bolton, escorted the 'kingslayer' Jaime Lannister as they sped towards King's Landing.
The journey was swift and covert, requiring constant vigilance to avoid being discovered by the people of the North.
When the group walked into a forest in the Riverlands, Wothon Iron Legs ordered everyone to rest for the night.
Wothon Iron Legs arranged the watch order, lit a campfire, and then began to rest.
Jaime Lannister spread a bear skin over a broad tree stump to use as a pillow. The campfire beside him made him feel warm, and he soon fell into a deep sleep. He thought to himself: 'If only I could dream of my sister Cersei.'
However, what he did not notice was that the tree stump beneath him revealed a white heart in the moonlight; it was a weirwood tree stump.
In his dream, Jaime found himself naked, surrounded by a dozen tall, dark shadows in robes and hoods whose faces could not be seen. They held spears in their hands, driving Jaime downwards.
Jaime stepped over steps carved into the rock. He looked up and found that all around him were seamless stone walls.
'This is Casterly Rock,' Jaime thought.
Jaime Lannister was driven by these shadows to the very bottom, where there was bottomless darkness and shallow water with soft sand at the base.
"Where is this?" Jaime asked.
However, when he turned his head, he found that the shadows had disappeared. Just as he was at a loss, a voice sounded in front of him.
"Your place," the voice in the darkness said.
When Jaime realized it, he was shocked to find that it was not one voice, but a hundred, a thousand voices sounding at the same time.
He looked carefully, and a torch suddenly ignited in the darkness, causing the surrounding darkness to retreat. These people were all blonde and blue-eyed, with handsome faces.
He recognized them; these were all members of House Lannister since 'Lann the Clever' of the Age of Heroes. Jaime saw his father, his sister, and standing at the very front was his son Joffrey.
The torch in his sister Cersei's hand was the only light in the darkness, but he felt a scorching heat emanating from his son Joffrey.
Compared to the torch in Cersei's hand, the darkness seemed even more afraid of the heat on his son Joffrey.
But just as Jaime was thinking, these Lannister members turned and left.
"Don't go! Don't leave me here alone!" Jaime cried out in despair.
"This place is dangerous; at least give me a sword."
Jaime thought to himself, as long as I have a sword, no one can hurt me.
"I have already given you a sword," his father Tywin said, suddenly turning his head.
Jaime Lannister suddenly felt something at his feet. He bent down, reached out, and pulled a longsword from the water.
At this moment, he suddenly realized that his right hand was still there. Jaime thought:'So, I just had a nightmare about losing my hand; my right hand is still perfectly fine on my wrist.'
Jaime gripped the hilt, feeling the sensation in his fingers; this feeling made him nostalgic.
He raised the longsword, and in an instant, pale flames danced on the tip and blade of the sword, burning all the way to the hilt.
The flames were the same color as the steel, emitting a silver-blue radiance, driving away the surrounding darkness.
...
Holding the sword, Jaime also had confidence. He stared intently at the surrounding darkness, his body constantly turning, fearing that threats would come from behind.
Shallow water washed over his ankles, and the soft sand made him think he was at the Ruby Ford.
Suddenly, a huge sound of flowing water came from behind. Jaime immediately turned around and thrust the longsword forward.
Borrowing the pale silver-blue light, Jaime saw the person clearly; it was Brienne of Tarth.
Brienne was naked just like Jaime, and her hands were still shackled.
"I swore to protect you; please remove the shackles," she said.
Jaime swung his sword, and the shackles shattered to the ground, splashing cold water that made him shiver.
"Please give me a sword," Brienne said.
As soon as she finished speaking, a second sword appeared suddenly.
Jaime and Brienne stood back to back, feeling each other's warmth, and both swords were burning, the silver-blue radiance driving the darkness back another circle.
"Sword burns, man lives; sword dies, man perishes." A voice called out from far away in the darkness. Jaime recognized it; it was his sister Cersei's voice.
"Sister, don't leave me!" Jaime shouted, but received no response.
Jaime looked dejected, and he said: "I have nothing left."
"No, you have me," Brienne beside him said, patting Jaime's shoulder.
Jaime looked at Brienne's face, feeling the warmth on his shoulder, and regained his confidence once more. He thought: 'Yes, I still have Brienne.'
"Did they keep a bear here?" Brienne said.
"A bear?"
Jaime did not know why Brienne would suddenly mention an animal like a bear, but subsequently, a huge sound of water did indeed come from the darkness.
Jaime and Brienne looked serious; shoulder to shoulder, they simultaneously thrust their burning longswords toward that direction.
Fog filled the darkness, and several cavalrymen slowly walked out from the darkness.
"Is it you? Eddard Stark?"
Jaime thought it was Eddard Stark, because when Eddard Stark rode into the iron throne room back then, it was just as silent, without the clatter of horse hooves.
But then several more cavalrymen arrived one after another; they were all wearing snow-white armor, clad in white cloaks, with helmets covering their faces.
Jaime did not need to see their faces to recognize them; this group of people were all his brothers of the Kingsguard with whom he had once sworn oaths.
Ser Oswell Whent and Ser Jon Darry, Prince Lewyn Martell of Dorne, the 'White Bull' Gerold Hightower, the'Sword of the Morning' Arthur Dayne.
Among them, there was also a person wearing a crown of mist and sorrow, with deep purple eyes and flowing silver hair.
Jaime recognized him; it was Rhaegar Targaryen, Prince of Dragonstone and heir to the iron throne.
"You cannot scare me! You are already dead! This has nothing to do with Brienne; let her go!" Jaime roared.
"No, I will not go. I want to protect you; I swore an oath," Brienne said.
"We all swore oaths," Arthur Dayne said sadly.
These ghosts in white cloaks and white armor dismounted and drew their longswords. They gradually surrounded them, repeating over and over again.
"You killed the King."
"You cut his throat."
"You killed the King you swore to protect."
"You broke your oath."
They said, and finally Rhaegar Targaryen stepped out and said: "My wife and children were killed by your father, yet I entrusted them to you to protect."
"No, I did not know he would harm them!" Jaime's heart became more and more helpless, more and more lacking in confidence.
Following this, the light on his sword became weaker and weaker, dimmer and dimmer, and finally began to extinguish.
This represented that the knightly spirit in his heart began to fall; his knightly heart had begun to become dark and weak.
Jaime remembered his sister Cersei's words: "Sword burns, man lives; sword dies, man perishes."
He was in despair; he felt he was going to die.
But just at this moment, Brienne stood in front of Jaime. The longsword in her hand suddenly burst into a dazzling light, and the ghosts were irradiated by the light, involuntarily retreating a circle.
"Don't be afraid, I swore to protect you," Brienne said.
Jaime felt a warm aura from Brienne; this aura was like the warm sun in summer, like the campfire in winter, making one full of hope.
Jaime looked at Brienne's firm eyes, and he thought: 'The current Brienne really looks like a true knight.'
However, the dangerous situation of the two had not been resolved. Those ghosts still kept repeating the words just now, thrusting their bodies into the light, slowly approaching the two.
At this time, the longsword in Brienne's hand was the only light left in the darkness, but those ghosts seemed to be no longer afraid. They surrounded Jaime and Brienne, and the two had nowhere to escape.
Jaime thought: 'Brienne is a good girl; it is I who implicated her.'
Just when the ghosts were preparing to swarm up and Jaime Lannister was full of despair, Jaime suddenly saw his son Joffrey Baratheon walk out from the darkness and come to his side.
The ghosts rode the mist, covering the light, rushing toward them regardless of anything.
However, Joffrey beside Jaime just smiled slightly and waved his hand, and a circle of flames emerged, burning all the ghosts around.
The flames were red-yellow, the exact colors of House Lannister, looking so warm, scorching, and safe.
Jaime Lannister looked at his son, his eyes full of shock.
At this time, Joffrey Baratheon also turned his head and looked at Jaime Lannister.
"Azor Ahai's 'Lightbringer' requires seven reforgings and three temperings to be completed. Lion Jaime Lannister, you are the host for the second tempering." Joffrey said.
Listening to his son Joffrey's words, Jaime Lannister fell into deep thought.
But immediately after, he felt something was wrong, because he knew his son too well.
He could see that, although the person before him looked very much like his son Joffrey, one could even say identical.
But the thing that was wrong was that the way this person spoke did not sound like a young man's tone at all; instead, it was a bit like the tone of his own father, Lord Tywin.
Just as unyielding, just as haughty.
And that gaze was not at all the kind of look a teenager should have; the eyes of the person before him were weary, profound, and filled with the traces of time.
"You are not Joffrey. Who on earth are you?" Jaime asked loudly.
Joffrey shook his head upon hearing this, revealing a faint smile, and he said:
"Uncle Jaime, I am Joffrey, but not the current Joffrey. When you return to King's Landing, you will know the answer."
"Now, please use your lion heart to do what you believe is right."
...
The dream ended, and Jaime slowly opened his eyes.
"What I believe is right." Jaime murmured.
The next moment, Jaime climbed up from the tree stump with a firm gaze; he decided to return to Harrenhal to save Brienne of Tarth.
"Did you sleep well?" Qyburn asked.
"Qyburn, do you think people have souls?" Jaime did not answer Qyburn's question, but instead threw out another one.
Although Jaime did not think Qyburn would be able to answer this strange question, Qyburn lowered his head and began to think earnestly.
"Ser, people do indeed have souls, though this was not my opinion to begin with. When I was at The Citadel, I studied under Archmaester Marwyn; he believed that the human soul has weight and proved many things to that effect."
Qyburn said, recalling his life at The Citadel.
"Qyburn, since you are so eager to learn, why were you driven out?" Jaime asked, looking puzzled.
"Because Archmaester Marwyn only proved and estimated the weight of the soul from the side, while I, Qyburn, truly weighed the soul!"
Qyburn's eyes were filled with fanatical fervor, seemingly very proud of what he had done.
Jaime didn't need to think to know what Qyburn had done; his hands must be stained with blood.
As expected, the people of the Bravos Company are not good people, Jaime thought.
Perhaps Qyburn felt he had lost his composure, so he hurriedly coughed to change the subject.
"Should we go?" Qyburn asked, looking at the squinting Jaime Lannister.
"Yes, we should go, but I left something behind at Harrenhal, and now I need to go back and retrieve her." Jaime Lannister ignored Qyburn's attempt to change the subject and instead said with a smile.
"What? You want to go back? You're crazy!" Wothon Iron Legs exclaimed upon hearing this; he really could not understand Jaime Lannister's strange train of thought.
"Everyone has to go crazy once. Besides, I already went crazy years ago, one more time won't hurt."
Jaime's will was firm, clearly intending to go back to save Brienne.
"No, Lord Roose only told me to take you to King's Landing; he didn't say anything about bringing you back."
Wothon Iron Legs continued: "And now Lord Roose has already left Harrenhal and gone toward the Trident. Now Harrenhal is managed by that fellow Vargo Hoat, and I don't want your left hand to be cut off as well."
Jaime Lannister did not pay attention upon hearing this and turned his horse around on his own.
Jaime said: "If you don't go back with me, when we arrive at King's Landing, I will say that my right hand was cut off by your command from Roose Bolton."
"That is a frame-up! It was clearly Vargo Hoat and his gang who did it!"
Wothon Iron Legs was startled; if Jaime really said that, he would definitely die in King's Landing.
And if he didn't go to King's Landing, he would be punished by Roose Bolton.
"I don't care about that. If you don't listen to me, that is what I will say. Conversely, if you listen to me and go back obediently, I will have my father give you an extra three thousand gold dragons."
Jaime Lannister looked at Wothon Iron Legs' conflicted face, thinking that the other party would certainly not give up those three thousand gold dragons.
As expected, Wothon Iron Legs frowned and pondered for a while, then gritted his teeth and said:
"Three thousand gold dragons, you keep your word!"
Seeing this, Jaime Lannister laughed aloud and said: "I keep my word! A Lannister always pays his debts!"
Seeing the two reach a consensus, Qyburn also mounted his horse with a helpless expression. What else could he say? He was still counting on Jaime's father, Lord Tywin, to restore his status as a maester.
Thus, the three of them extinguished the campfire and, leading their soldiers, rode back toward Harrenhal.
...
Before the gates of Harrenhal.
"It is me, Wothon Iron Legs! We have returned to find something!"
Wothon Iron Legs shouted. The garrison on the wall saw that it was Wothon Iron Legs, the favorite of Roose Bolton, who had returned, and after asking a few simple questions, they immediately opened the gate.
The massive iron gate of Harrenhal was pulled open. Looking at the familiar scene before him, Jaime felt conflicted.
"I hope it is not too late." Jaime muttered to himself, riding in first.
"Do not loose arrows! This is the kingslayer! If he is harmed, Lord Roose will not spare us!"
Seeing Jaime Lannister acting so recklessly, Wothon Iron Legs hurriedly rushed to the front of the gate and shouted loudly at the crossbowmen on the wall.
He cursed internally: This damned kingslayer, you have truly brought misery upon me.
"Wothon, let us go and see what the kingslayer is up to first." Qyburn reminded.
"Right, right, we must go and watch him. This fellow surely didn't leave his manhood behind here, did he?" Wothon said, nodding while cursing.
"I think for Lord Tywin, his son's manhood is always more important than his right hand." Qyburn said with a smile.
...
Jaime Lannister searched everywhere they had stayed, but Brienne was nowhere to be found.
Wothon Iron Legs ran to Jaime's side and asked: "You fellow, what exactly are you looking for?"
"The beauty." Jaime replied.
"You want to find a beauty in this godforsaken place? Are you crazy?" Wothon Iron Legs said with a helpless expression.
"Never mind whether I'm crazy or not. Besides these places, where else is there in Harrenhal? Where did Vargo Hoat and his lot go?" Jaime had no time to bicker with him and asked anxiously.
"Harrenhal, built by Harren the Black, is huge. How would I know where Vargo Hoat and his group went to play? The Kingspyre Tower? The Widow's Tower? The barracks hall? Or the bear pit?" Wothon Iron Legs spread his hands.
"The bear pit? A bear, yes! It's the bear pit! Hurry and lead the way!"
Jaime Lannister's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly demanded Wothon Iron Legs take him to the bear pit.
Jaime remembered what Brienne had said in the dream; at the time, Brienne said there was a bear in the darkness. This might have been a signal from Brienne to him.
Wothon Iron Legs and Jaime Lannister, one after the other, ran through the wide barracks hall and headed straight for the bear pit behind it.
As soon as they approached, Jaime Lannister heard Vargo Hoat's slurred accent and the unpleasant shouting of the men of the Bravos Company.
What are they doing? Jaime thought.
Until he heard a roar from a brown bear, and a scream from Brienne.
"There really is a bear! These bastards are making Brienne duel a bear!"
Saying this, Jaime ignored Wothon Iron Legs' dissuasion and charged straight to the edge of the bear pit.
The suddenly appearing Jaime gave Vargo Hoat a start, and he cursed: "Which blind fool bumped into me!"
As a result, when Vargo Hoat turned his head and realized it was the "kingslayer" Jaime Lannister, he was stunned for a moment.
"How did you?" Vargo Hoat asked in confusion.
However, Jaime Lannister ignored him. Jaime looked at Brienne, who was struggling with the giant brown bear, and frowned.
Before Vargo Hoat and Wothon Iron Legs could react, he climbed over the railing and jumped straight down.
"Damn it! You idiot!"
Vargo Hoat was startled by his action; if Jaime died, he would be caught between the North and the West, pleasing no one.
The blood-covered Brienne of Tarth felt a chill behind her back and was just about to swing her sword, only to discover that the person who had come was Jaime Lannister, who had returned.
"Jaime! Why did you come back!" Brienne shouted in surprise and nervousness.
"What? Not weeping with gratitude upon seeing your savior?" Jaime smiled, but when he saw the sword in Brienne's hand, he was instantly furious.
"They gave you a practice sword!" Just as Jaime was about to start cursing, the brown bear behind them charged toward the two of them.
It roared as it ran over, and seeing the sword in Brienne's hand, it even specifically swerved to prepare to circle behind, but was slashed on the claw by a strike from Brienne, let out a miserable shriek, and retreated.
Jaime could tell at a glance that this bear had eaten plenty of people; it even had muscle memory when seeing a weapon.
"You fool! Who told you to come back!"
"Yes, my lady. You are right; I really am foolish to the extreme."
The brown bear realized that the opponent's sword did not cause much damage, so it decisively put away its caution and charged straight toward the two of them.
At the critical moment, Jaime pushed away Brienne, who was holding her sword to protect him, and rushed to the front himself.
"Jaime!" Brienne screamed in terror.
The giant bear was imposing, broad in stature, and baring its fangs as it lunged at Jaime.
Jaime Lannister stood in place, his heart pounding; he was gambling, gambling that these people of the Bravos Company feared the retaliation of Roose Bolton and his own father, Lord Tywin.
The giant bear got closer and closer, so close that Jaime could even smell the foul stench in its mouth.
Just at this moment, three arrows shot out from above, piercing through the giant bear's eyes and straight into its brain.
The giant bear let out a desperate shriek toward the sky, collapsed in hatred at Jaime Lannister's feet, and ceased to move.
Vargo Hoat, standing above the bear pit, threw the bow and arrow in his hand to the Bravos Company member Togg Joth behind him and sighed helplessly.
Jaime wiped the splashed blood from his face and smiled at Brienne behind him: "How is it? I'm still the more impressive one, right?"
This sunshine-bright smile deeply captivated Brienne of Tarth's heart, causing her to reveal a moved smile.
"Yes, Jaime, you are the most impressive."
...
"I have truly had a stroke of bad luck by being stuck with you."
Wothon Iron Legs complained while finding someone to pull Jaime Lannister and Brienne of Tarth up.
"Qyburn! Come here quickly!" Wothon Iron Legs shouted.
Jaime was about to take Brienne and leave, and find Qyburn to bandage her up, but he saw Vargo Hoat walk out from the crowd and stand before him.
"You cannot take her away; she is my trophy." Vargo Hoat said, and the members of the Bravos Company behind him also picked up their weapons and surrounded them.
"Jaime, you should go." Brienne of Tarth gasped for air; the lost blood made her entire face deathly pale.
However, Jaime was not frightened by them. He first pushed Brienne to Qyburn, then walked straight to Vargo Hoat and, looking at the other party, said: "Now she is mine."
Vargo Hoat and Jaime Lannister faced each other, neither yielding, and the atmosphere began to grow tense.
Eventually, Vargo Hoat looked at the Northern soldiers within Harrenhal and the drunken members of the Bravos Company behind him. After considering it for a moment, he slowly lowered his head.
He said: "You win, kingslayer."
Vargo Hoat knew that he could only command these few of his own men; the others in Harrenhal still obeyed the orders of Roose Bolton.
If he really locked horns with the kingslayer here, these guys would absolutely not help him.
Jaime smiled upon hearing this: "My lord, you have made a correct decision."
Having said this, Jaime pulled Brienne onto a horse and rode straight out of the city. Wothon Iron Legs and Qyburn exchanged a glance and could only each find a horse to follow.
Passing through the massive, cold iron gate of Harrenhal, the four of them, along with their accompanying soldiers, galloped out of Harrenhal together, rushing toward the direction of King's Landing.