Chapter 2 - A Maiden Fair in Wintry Air

Previously...

There was a thud at her door. Not a real knock, just a thud. Just as if the person that tried knocking either wasn't trying too hard or was seriously intoxicated. Brienne pondered whether or not to check who it was. She had lost sight of Jamie after she had left the Great Hall and it had been several minutes since she had arrived at her chamber. Surely it must be some intoxicated reveler that had knocked on the wrong door.

Right?

She opened the door.

"You didn't drink!"

He moved past her before she had a chance to react or respond. Stunned, she watched as he placed two drinking chalices and a fully filled carafe on the table. Some of the Dornish wine spilled over as he filled both chalices, staining the dark wood of the table and Brienne could not help but notice that it seemed as if Jamie created a mess wherever he went. Actions had consequences. Hence, the wine was now slowly dripping onto the floor. Brienne stifled a snort.

"I didn't drink?" she asked, closing the door quietly. For what it was worth, Brienne had abandoned the celebrations after the embarrassing revelation regarding her maidenhood. Had she actually asked him in? She didn't think she had. What was he doing in her chamber, anyway?

"In the game," Jamie said.

"I drank", Brienne insisted.

"In the game!" Jamie repeated impatiently. "This is Dornish."

Brienne went from the door to the table, incredulous at his intrusion. He seemed to be absolutely certain that he should be in her chamber with Dornish wine in the middle of the night. She wasn't. Brienne had no idea how she suddenly found herself in a situation she had not expected. At all. Wanted, somehow, maybe yes, but expected to become a reality? Rather not. His presence made her anxious. She sensed, that for one reason or the other Jamie was not as confident as he pretended to be which confused her. Her confusion must have been apparent on her face because Jamie shot her a quick amused look.

"This is not the game. This is ONLY drinking," Brienne stated, matter-of-factly. Jamie turned to fully face her and shoved one of the chalices into her hand.

"Suit yourself," he insisted. As he looked at her expectantly, her confusion grew. What was he doing here? Why were they doing this? What exactly were they doing? Unable to resist his intent stare, she slowly raised the chalice to her mouth, looking at Jamie intently before she drank.

There. She said it. Or not said it. She confirmed Tyrion's statement one way or the other. There was no denying, especially not with Jamie.

Jamie gulped.

"You keep it warm enough in here," he breathed out, moving past her and as he walked he was impatiently tugging on his brown leather jacket. His golden hand made it harder to take any clothes off without assistance and Jamie got impatient as soon as he tried to wiggle the right arm of the leather jacket off his prosthetic. Brienne never took her eyes off him, overcome by a sudden shame that was battling with other emotions for supremacy. Shame. Guilt. Anxiety. Excitement. Hope. Fear. Hope. Love. Shame? She set down her chalice, afraid her shaking hands would not be able to hold it for much longer. She turned around and watched him wrestle with his garment. What in the name of the Seven was he doing?

"It's the first thing I learned when I came to the North. Keep your fire going. Every time you leave the room, put more wood on..." her voice trailed off.

"That's very diligent. Very responsible," he snarkily remarked before throwing his jacket carelessly onto her bed.

"Piss off," she said, annoyed at his nonchalance. There he was, Jamie Lannister, annoying her every bone. Just as they always happened to be with each other, bouncing insults and comments off one another. It was natural, it felt like the right thing to do and quite frankly, most of the time his arrogant demeanor simply asked for it.

"You know ... the first thing I learned in the North ... I hate the fucking North!" Jamie gritted out when he stood to face Brienne. His face did betray Jamie; there were more emotions to his statement than he tried to let on.

"It grows on you," Brienne stated softly. He moved past her to completely fill his chalice with Dornish wine. It was an astute observation, yet, Brienne did understand the underlying double-meaning to it. It could be about the North, also ... it could be about her. So what if ...?

"I don't want things growing on me!"

Oh. Well then.

Brienne tentatively moved back to be able to face him, once he had finished pouring his drink. Situations like the one she currently found herself in made her uncomfortable. She had little to no idea how to be alone with a man, let alone someone she deeply cared about, in her chamber in the middle of the night after several hours of excessive drinking and feasting, celebrating the fact that they - despite it being ever so barely - had survived the long night. If anything, this was the time to be joyous and happy ... right?

"How about Tormund Giantsbane," Jamie unexpectedly said before facing her, adding: "Has he grown on you?"

Jaimie looked at Brienne, a wordless challenge in his glance. At the same time as wanting to hear her answer, he also didn't, Brienne realized. Suddenly emboldened by the wine, the warmth and the need for a witty comeback, Brienne rolled her eyes at Jamie when he added, smirking from behind the chalice:

"He was very sad when you left."

Did he just ...?

No. Surely that wasn't what he had intended to mean, he could not possibly...

Brienne decided to blow caution in the wind.

Fuck this.

"You sound quite jealous..." she said with as much affirmation as she could possibly muster.

He nodded.

Again.

Again.

"I do, don't I?" Jamie answered, incredulous at his own realization. Had he just realized? What in all Seven Kingdoms was going on? As he looked into her eyes, his gaze slowly wandered over her face, mapping every little detail of it, as if he was seeing it for the first time. After several small moments that somehow felt like an eternity, he looked away, averting her intent gaze. Brienne was looking for clues; clues he was unable to provide. He, himself, had no idea what was going on.

Did he ...?

Did she ...?

What will she say ...?

What will he do ...?

"It's bloody hot in here!" Jamie pressed out, fighting the collar of his shirt. Opening the laces was not easy with one hand and he had to use his teeth to open the knot. It didn't really work.

"Oh move aside," Brienne said, impatiently yanked his left hand away and tried to help. Once she had moved close enough to help him undo the small laces of his shirt, he started to fumble with her shirt laces. At first, she didn't realize what he was doing as she was focussed on the task ahead. Then she did.

"What are you DOING?" Brienne said, looking into Jamie's eyes.

"Taking your shirt off..." he whispered hoarsely and continued to untie the laces of her shirt. His glance flicked to her mouth and quickly after that it went back to his activity.

What?

Why would he do that? What was going on? Was he doing what she ... thought ... he was doing?

What was going on?

Jamie stopped and looked into her eyes, seeking permission. Brienne knew, that, should she say so, he'd stop, collect his jacket and leave her chamber immediately. He was asking her to tell him what to do. Should he stop? Should he continue? After all, he knew that she had no experience with men. She had explained to him how that had never been anything she could have imagined after having been tormented by vicious attacks on her looks and height. She was the Maiden of Tarth, after all.

It was her decision.

He meant it.

She knew it.

What was she going to do?

Still looking deeply into his eyes, she slowly stopped untying his shirt and moved both of her hands to her own shirt, untying the garment and loosening the collar and then she looked down, away from his curious look, to finish the shirt laces so that it opened ever so slightly at the front. She paused, allowing Jamie to eventually change his mind but all he did was look at her. Quizzically. Patiently. Waiting. Inviting her to set a tempo, defining a limit, telling him what she wanted him to do. He could not help but have his gaze wander down her stomach but quickly went back up when Brienne's actions demanded his attention. She all but shoved her hands under the hem of his shirt, yanking the fabric out of his pants. Jamie shot her a quick confused look, surprised by her bold actions but regained his focus when she slipped the shirt above his head and carefully over the golden hand. The shirt slid to the ground. Jamie caught her gaze, carefully observing her reaction to their rapidly changing relationship but his attention was otherwise occupied when she slowly started to take her own shirt off, sliding it off her shoulders only to also have it fall to the ground with a small thud.

"I've never slept with a knight before..." Jamie said, realizing that not only had he never done this but also had he never slept with anyone but ...

"I've never slept with anyone before..."

Well...

"Then you have to drink. Those are the rules..."

"I told you ..." Brienne managed to get out before Jamie captured her lips with a crushing kiss that had her limbs go numb and her insides fluttering as if a thousand butterflies were moving their tiny wings against her. Jamie touched her left arm, from her hand to her shoulder, before he caressed her left cheek and kissed her even harder.

"You told me ... what?" Jamie muttered between kisses.

"That ... this ... was ... only ... drinking," she responded, breathing heavily, desperate to calm her racing heart.

"I believe," Jamie smirked, "we are past that part."

tbc.