75 Saphire Isle 2

Brienne didn't know what was going on, but the people running around in the castle clearly weren't interested in explaining the situation to her.

Even with her status as the Lady of house Tarth and the only heir the servants mostly ignored her. Not that she minded tho.

Since that memorable day in her youth when during the feast she finally caught a glimpse of what humans are capable of all the hope she had for happiness and acceptance vanished.

She wasn't beautiful or ladylike in any way, but she was a warrior and a capable one at that.

Already there were none in the castle except her teacher, master-at-arms Ser Goodwin that were able to stand up to her in the sword art.

Brienne walked outside the castle in the direction of her favorite spot, where she would be able to train uninterrupted by the hustle that was going on around her.

She walked for a long time and was just about to reach her quiet place when sounds of swords clashing together reached her ears.

With curiosity peaked and hand on her sword hilt she slowly climbed the hill to get a better look of the situation before reacting accordingly.

"Shield up Jon!" a shout of a young man reached her ears.

Peeking over the hill she saw a group of about 50 people in black beautiful armor standing in circle watching a young man fighting with another.

That boy that shouted was really handsome in her opinion, he wad some wildness in his movement, but she quickly extinguished any thoughts of romance between them.

Since young she heard that women shouldn't wield a sword and just birth babies and be obedient so she assumed he's the same.

Just thinking about it made her lips twitch.

"Don't lower your fucking shield!" again she heard the boy as he slashed with his two swords that were a bit shorter than normal ones at the shield like a maniac.

The whole picture was mesmerizing for her as "Jon", like the boy called him was skillful as well and only a bit worse than the boy.

She couldn't see any faces except the one man shouting as they all were wearing armor and helmets, but from the scratches on them she knew they are not flower knights and real soldiers.

"Jon" was losing and his moves slowed down. Brienne was ready to get closer to watch when another shout rung out.

"Leila! Alys!"

Surprised the Lady of Tarth watches as two people stepped out from the group, not registering what she heard because of the beautiful, intense and high class fight she watched as both with shields and sword in hands the people attacked aiming at the teen without remorse invigorating Jon again in the process.

She watched with bulging eyes as the boy shouted the new arrivals mistakes that he saw, correcting them while defending at the same time.

She listened attentively trying to learn something as well.

"Don't ever stop and I promise you'll find whatever you seek, just keep on trying!" Every time someone slowed the teen shouted motivating them.

"Fight! Life's not a race! Go with your own pace, it's a battle, it's a war! When you cross an obstacle it always has more and you are not the type that'll quit! My men don't quit!" Brienne didn't know why, but her blood started to burn, it was first time she heard something like that and she felt empowered! She wanted to fight!

Looking around all the men surrounding the teen wanted to join barely keeping their cool.

Even some of the older men in the distance close to the tents were watching with their arms folded. She just glimpsed at them, but their bloodlust almost suffocated her.

She trembled feeling bigger pressure from each of them than from her teacher, and there were a lot of them!

"Adam! Maria!" Brienne wanted it to be a dream, the boy before her now was fighting, evading and maneuvering around effortlessly fighting no more than 3 people at the same time blocking the rest with their companions bodies.

"Blood of a warrior is flowing through your veins it's time to snap out of your chains! Move and remember, no pain no gain!" The man punched the helmet from one of the people revealing a beautiful woman's face from under it.

Brienne was surprised and unknowingly shouted "Ah!". It was the first time the lady saw another woman just as her, a warrior.

She came back and realized that everything stopped and everyone looked at her.

Her cheeks got red from embarrassment, but she straightened her back and walked down the hill looking at the man.

"It's enough for today, are you alright Alys? I couldn't hold back with the five of you." Brendan asked worriedly watching his new 1st Legion recruits that came with him. The best and brightest new 50 came with 150 of his older Praetorians and personal guards.

"My Lord you don't need to worry..." Alys dropped to her knees not daring to dream about her Lord.

"Get up girl, none of this pompous shit between us! Let me tell you a secret, Your greatest weapon is your mind! It's your source of power so be careful what you feed it! Be positive and watch your obstacles, get defeated and stand up again stronger! Hard work is easy, having faith is tough! So stand up better and stronger!" Brendan grabbed her under arm and pulled her up.

When he turned around he saw the target of his trip. Brienne of Tarth.

Even if she looked just like in the show only younger, being 10 years older than his 12 name days self he already had to look up to meet her eyes even with his 165 cm hight.

"Damme Brienne." He nodded showing his respect.

"I'm not a La..!" Her words stopped in her throat when she realized how he called her.

She couldn't control the tears from flowing from her eyes, with the impact of hearing his previous words and the feeling of being accepted by him, and as he called her Damme like a knight would, she couldn't control her happiness.

"You don't mind I'm a woman? That I'm not ladylike? That I like to fight?" She really wanted to feel the hope again and the warmth of appreciation and acknowledgment.

"Pha!" The man made a throat sound showing his contempt for what she said.

He looked around at his men.

"Show her." He just said it silently and everyone around them took of their helmets.

Brienne didn't know how to react and made probably the most ladylike thing in her life up till now and covered her mouth and just cried seeing so many women in armor around her. No, not women, warriors!

"As you see we do not discriminate, we don't care about your past. Stable boys, bakers, butchers, prostitutes, maesters, slaves, second, third, tenth sons, bastards. You name it, we have it, but now as brothers and sisters." Brendan knew it sounded cheesy, but that was exactly what she needed to hear now and other than that... He didn't give a fuck.

Giving Brienne time she needed he handed his swords to Sandor and moved to the beach taking of his armor on the way.

He looked back at his people just in his pants and boxers under them, his body covered in scars showed everyone, even Brienne that his past wasn't calm.

"Relax everyone! Let's swim a bit and let the old ones prepare the barbecue! Who's with me?!" Brendan shouted and jumped into the sea after loosing his pants.

There was no reaction for a moment when suddenly the younger people shouted after him loosing their armor of the way and jumping into the water in their own underwear just as him laughing and having fun.

Brienne was surprised seeing something like that, they were basically naked with the boxers and the sports tops for the women.

She couldn't understand, but the freedom she felt from them pulled her in deeper and deeper.

The next thing she heard was a laugh from the men and women close to the tents. She didn't see them before, but now watching the women laugh, she wanted to stand shoulder to shoulder with them and feel the same freedom they did.