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She had sworn on the sword he gave her. She had knelt before Catelyn Tully Stark once more, her hands gripping the ruby-eyed lions on Oathkeeper's hilt, and said the words. On her honor Brienne of Tarth would kill Ser Jaime Lannister.

"You did not swear to kill me by a particular day, did you, wench?"

Brienne frowned at him. Why must he jape about everything? She'd sworn to kill him. "No," she said.

He threw his arm around her shoulder and winked. "Then you may smother me with a pillow when I am old and grey and I cannot remember my name. I'll be dead by your hand, and you would have kept your word. They'll remember you as a woman of honor."

She had never intended to kill him, of course, that was not even a possibility. It hurt just to hear people say she'd killed Renly; she could not bear to hear them say she'd killed Jaime, much less be able to do the deed. The Maid of Tarth had known she was sacrificing her honor when she swore her second oath to Lady Catelyn. Brienne shrugged his arm away. "Jaime, this is serious. They kept Pod and they mean to hang him if I do not kill you."

"Who's Pod? A hedge knight who captured your heart on the road?"

"Podrick Payne. He was your brother's squire. He followed me in the hopes that I would find Lady Sansa and the Imp with her. He's a good boy. I cannot let him die."

"Ah well," Jaime said, "It appears I must put an end to these outlaws sooner rather than later. Waiting in the High Septon's dungeon will be good for my sweet sister." He stuck his head out of the tent and shouted, "Peck!"

A skinny boy who looked to be a couple of years older than Pod came running. "Ser?"

"Lady Brienne will be sharing my tent tonight. Bring her some food and find Pia. The lady wants a bath and fresh clothes."

Brienne caught his arm before he could leave the tent. "Jaime, I won't be able to find these outlaws. I was delirious with fever when they captured me and later they kept me hooded for several days after we left their cave."

"A cave is more than we knew of their hideout before," Jaime said. "Rest, Brienne. We'll discuss it again with my captains later."

A serving woman who was pretty until she opened her mouth to reveal her broken teeth brought a tub and the squire brought buckets of hot water. Brienne let her hair fall into her face as she waited for the tub to be filled. She had forgotten the hideous scarring that now covered her cheek in her haste to tell Jaime of her dilemma, but the woman's stare reminded her of it. Wasn't I ugly enough for the gods before, she wondered. She waited until the boy Peck left the tent to undress and climb into the tub. The warmth felt marvelous. Brienne closed her eyes, only to open them at Pia's hesitant "m'lady?" and find a plate of food awaiting her. When she'd eaten and the water had lost its heat, she pulled on a shift that was indecently short on her and collapsed into a nest of sleeping furs.

Her throat was so tight that Brienne could scarcely breathe let alone talk. Still she fought to get the word out. "Sword." She thought they would ignore her, her vision was going dark, then suddenly the rope gave and she crashed to the ground. She lay there gasping for breath but there was no time. She could see Pod's legs kicking and Hyle Hunt's. "Will kill him." She coughed. "Spare others."

The outlaw in the Hound's helm cut down Pod but made no move towards Ser Hyle.

"Tarly's man is ours," said the one-eyed outlaw.

"Cut him down" Brienne pleaded. "We are to be married. Spare my squire and my betrothed, and I will kill Ser Jaime." The lie came easily. It was a different woman who had once chided Jaime Lannister for lying to the Bloody Mummers to save her from rape.

But the outlaws only laughed. "You'll have to find another husband, wench. Though it'll be harder with half your face missing."

"I say she's prettier with half that ugly face gone, Jack."

"Now, lads, she was good enough for the Kingslayer," laughed another outlaw.

And all the while Ser Hyle struggled for breath, struggled to break free of his noose, until at last his body was still and his face black.

She awoke to someone shaking her and she reached for Oathkeeper but it was not beside her. Brienne sat up in a panic, and almost smashed Jaime's face before she recognized him.

"Time to put Lady Catelyn back in her grave," he said cheerfully.

"She didn't have a grave," Brienne mumbled. "The Freys threw her in the river."

"Well, that explains it," he said. "The singers and the septons agree that dead men…"

"Jaime," she interrupted him, "Where are my clothes?"

"Pia should be bringing them any moment now." He hauled her out of the bedding. "Don't be shy, wench, I saw it all at Harrenhal, remember?"

Brienne felt herself blush. She remembered the bath at Harrenhal all too well. Even half-dead and with a bleeding stump in place of a hand the Kingslayer had been a handsome man and Brienne's body had made its appreciation known to her. She pushed Jaime away, and when Pia brought her freshly laundered clothing, she glared at him until he left the tent before she exchanged the tiny shift for her tunic and breeches and mail.

Knights, squires, soldiers and camp followers all gaped at her as she made her way to the spot where Jaime's captains were assembled. Brienne wished she could pull her helm over her head, but it would only make her look foolish. It was better to let them stare and think she did not care. The lordlings were courteous enough; they pretended not to notice that she was a head taller than most of them or that half of her cheek had been bitten away, and listened attentively when Jaime bade her to tell them about Lady Stoneheart's band of outlaws.

"Scoundrels," cried Ser Lyle Crakehall, the only man there taller than Brienne. "Animals. Hanging a highborn lady and after she saved their children too!"

The others were more concerned about Lady Catelyn and were sure the Blackfish meant to join her and wage war on the Freys who now held Riverrun. "It was good of you to tell us, my lady," said one of them gravely, "This is a far direr threat than mere outlaws."

I pledged Lady Catelyn my service, Brienne thought miserably. Even after what had happened, it made her stomach queasy to think she would help to bring harm to the Tullys. I cannot be part of this.

She told Jaime as much afterwards when they were back in the privacy of his pavilion. "I mean to continue my search for Lady Sansa." That was one oath that she would keep; she had to if she wanted to retain any honor at all.

"Don't you want your revenge on these ungrateful outlaws? And what of your squire?"

"Find a good knight for him to serve."

He tried to change her mind, but Brienne was resolute. In the end he shook his head in disgust, called her a stubborn wench, and summoned his squires to equip her for the road.

"Where do you intend to look for the Stark girl now?"

"The Vale. It would be the safest place for her, I think."

"Then you'll need this for a ship." He offered her a pouch of coins.

Brienne thanked him and made to mount her horse, only to be stopped by his golden hand on her shoulder and his real hand turning her to face him. He kissed her. Several of the knights who participated in that cruel game in Renly's camp had tried to kiss her, but Brienne had resisted them all. She was helpless to resist now, though she knew they were being watched and she was being laughed at. It was hot and soft and Jaime and it was over all too quickly. "My neck will await your sword, wench," he said, when he released her.

Brienne could not make her tongue form words so she merely nodded at him in farewell and climbed onto her palfrey mare. It took all of her will but she resisted the desire to turn back and look at him one last time as her horse carried her further away, though she could feel his eyes on her back. I will find Sansa Stark and keep her safe for as long as I must, and then I shall return to him one day.