“I know how hard it is-”  Brienne shook off her hand. “No one knows.”  “You’re wrong,” Catelyn said sharply. “Every morning, when I wake, I remember that Ned is gone. I have no skill with swords, but that does not mean that I do not dream of riding to King’s Landing and wrapping my hands around Cersei Lannister’s white throat and squeezing until her face turns black.”  The Beauty raised her eyes, the only part of her that was truly beautiful. “If you dream that, why would you seek to hold me back? Is it because of what Stannis said at the parley¹?”  Was it? Catelyn glanced across the camp. Two men were walking sentry², spears in hand. “I was taught that good men must fight evil in this world, and Renly’s death was evil beyond all doubt. Yet I was also taught that the gods make kings, not the swords of men. if Stannis is our rightful king-”  “He’s not. Robert was never the rightful king either, even Renly said as much. Jaime Lannister murdered the rightful king, after Robert killed his lawful³ heir on the Trident. Where were the gods then? The gods don’t care about men, no more than kings care about peasants.”  “A good king does care.”  “Lord Renly... His Grace, he... he would have been the best king, my lady, he was so good, he...”  “He is gone, Brienne,” she said, as gently as she could. “Stannis and Joffrey remain... and so does my son.”  “He wouldn’t... you’d never make a peace with Stannis, would you? Bend the knee? You wouldn’t...”   “I will tell you true, Brienne. I do not know. My son may be a king, but I am no queen ... only a mother who would keep her children safe, however she could.”  “I am not made to be a mother. I need to fight.”  “Then fight... but for the living, not the dead. Renly’s enemies are Robb’s enemies as well.”  Brienne stared at the ground and shuffled⁴ her feet. “I do not know your son, my lady.” She looked up. “I could serve you. If you would have me.”  Catelyn was startled. “Why me?”  The question seemed to trouble Brienne. “You helped me. In the pavilion... when they thought that I had... that I had... “  “You were innocent.”  “Even so, you did not have to do that. You could have let them kill me. I was nothing to you.”  Perhaps I did not want to be the only one who knew the dark truth of what had happened there, Catelyn thought. “Brienne, I have taken many wellborn ladies into my service over the years, but never one like you. I am no battle commander.”  “No, but you have courage. Not battle courage perhaps but... I don’t know... a kind of woman’s courage. And I think, when the time comes, you will not try and hold me back. Promise me that. That you will not hold me back from Stannis.”  Catelyn could still hear Stannis saying that Robb’s turn too would come in time. It was like a cold breath on the back of her neck. “When the time comes, I will not hold you back.”  The tall girl knelt awkwardly, unsheathed Renly’s longsword, and laid it at her feet. “Then I am yours, my lady. Your liege man, or... whatever you would have me be. I will shield your back and keep your counsel and give my life for yours, if need be. I swear it by the old gods and the new.”  “And I

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